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The Accountant 2, the action thriller starring Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff, a brilliant mind unraveling the murder of a Treasury chief, hit theaters in April 2025. The film has grossed $103.2 million globally to date and ranks as Amazon MGM Studios’ second most-watched streaming film ever, with audiences flocking back for the sequel’s enticement.
A unique in-world voice and SMS campaign played a key role in engaging fans and building momentum leading up to the film’s release.
Goal: Build Direct Fan Engagement Ahead of a Major Release
For the release of The Accountant 2, the marketing team at Amazon MGM Studios set out to go beyond trailers and press interviews. Their mission? Build authentic, direct relationships with fans, delivering exclusive content, sneak peeks, and in-world experiences designed to generate buzz, social shares, and theater turnout. To truly stand out, they had to go off-script and rewrite the role of fan engagement.
Challenge: Cut Through the Noise and Drive Pre-Release Momentum
The studio combined voicemail with SMS and launched a creative campaign to promote their Community number, 878-ACCTNT2, across social media, events, and out-of-home ads, from billboards to bus wraps to public bench signage. Fans were invited to call as if contacting “ZZZ Accounting,” a nod to the accounting firm Christian Wolff operates as a front for his illicit activities in the first film. On the other end? A custom voicemail from Justine, Christian Wolff's tech-savvy partner in the film, prompted fans to text the word “FIND” to unlock access to exclusive content, sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes, and updates sent via text straight to their phones.
The eerie, in-world experience added intrigue and blurred the line between marketing and storyline.
While traditional media and influencer campaigns were in full swing, the campaign provided a direct communication line to superfans and moviegoers, a way to collect zero-party data for better targeting (e.g., interests, locations), and scalable tools to automate outreach while keeping it personal. The unique approach proved key to sustaining hype in the weeks leading up to the premiere and translating it into actual ticket sales.
Results: Blockbuster Reach, Real-Time Feedback, and Record-Breaking Results
The campaign turned curiosity into conversation, blending in-world storytelling with real-world engagement. Fans who called the voicemail were prompted to join the Accountant 2 Community, giving the studio a direct line to engaged moviegoers. These text opt-ins became the foundation for ongoing fan engagement, fueled social buzz, and helped drive a measurable impact at the box office.
Key outcomes:
- Thousands of phone calls and text messages within the first 3 weeks.
- Engagement rate topped 47%, with minimal opt-outs.
- The marketing team collected member data to effectively segment audiences.
- The Accountant 2 grossed an impressive $103.2 million at the global box office.
Even after its theatrical run, the campaign kept the phone line active, continuing to engage fans well into the streaming window. On Prime Video, the film shattered expectations, reaching nearly 80 million viewers and becoming Amazon MGM’s second most-watched title of all time.
That’s a Wrap... or Is It?
With Community, the film didn’t just build hype, but a direct connection with fans that extends far beyond screen time. The Accountant 2 forged relationships with their audience that can be reactivated for future sequels, spinoffs, or other studio drops.
Want to learn more about how Community helps studios, artists, and brands create deeper engagement and drive action?
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