A modern heist film classic or “Heat” for the Monster Energy drink crowd? Over a half-decade later, the vote is still out on Christian Gudagest‘s “Den Of Thieves,” STXfilm‘s mid-budget hit from 2018. Maybe the upcoming sequel will help settle the debate about the original’s quality.
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Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. return in “Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera,” which hits theaters next January, courtesy of Lionsgate. And the sequel picks up where the last left off, with Jackson Jr.’s ex-marine Donnie in Europe ready to set up another big score. The only problem is Buter’s Detective “Big Nick” O’Brien is hot on his tail, and this time, he wants in on the heist.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera”:
In DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA, Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.
“Pantera” also stars Michael Bipsing, Salvatore Esposito, Orli Shuka, Evin Ahmad, and Cristian Solimeno. Nazmiye Oral, Yasen Zates Atour, and Giuseppe Schillaci also star. Dino Kelly, Rich Verhoeven, and Velibor Topic round out the main cast.
Along with directing, Gudagest also pens the film’s script, based on characters created by him and Paul Schuering. Butler produces the film with Tucker Tooley, Alan Siegel, Mark Canton, 50 Cent, and Meadow Williams. “Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera” is an eOne Films, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, and G-BASE co-production.
So will “Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera” cement Christian Gudagest’s 2018 original as a cult classic and the beginning of a franchise, or are these films just low-rent copycats of superior movies? Find out when the film hits theaters on January 10, 2025. Watch the trailer for “Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera” below.