Den Of Thieves 2: Panterais set to have more humor than its predecessor thanks to script changes. The original movie,Den Of Thieves,was written and directed by Christian Gudegast and starred Gerard Butler as LA County Sheriff Nick O’Brien and his team as they try to track down a crew of thieves planning to rob the Federal Reserve. The movie grossed $80 million worldwide against a production budget of $30 million, and the sequelDen Of Thieves 2: Panterawill be releasedon July 14, 2025, through Lionsgate Films.
In an exclusive interview withScreen Rant, producer and star Butler revealed that the upcoming movie will have a little more humor than the first film and that the script underwent some changes. He mentioned how the firstDen Of Thievesfilm, though gripping,was quite heavy in places, and there was a desire to lighten the tone this time. He also explained that the sequel’s original script was more serious in the initial draft, which would have been great, but the relationship dynamic between Nick and Donnie has more humor now. Check out his comments below:
For sure it was important to have humor in this movie, because it felt like the first movie—much as it was gripping and suspenseful—at times felt a little bit heavy. This was [like], “Okay, the two of them could go on a working holiday, actually have more fun, and go to Europe.” It’s a fun ride. You put these two characters together, Nick O’Brien and Donnie Wilson, and you don’t want to just get bogged down.
In fact, that’s something we had in the initial draft. It was quite serious, and we very quickly became engaged in the doing of the act itself. And the doing of the act is so sophisticated and interesting, and alone would be a great movie, but what’s brilliant about this movie is that on top of that, we have this great relationship that has so many colors and especially humor between the two of them. Donnie’s so used to being controlled and working his own thing, and as much as Nick is brilliant and instinctual, he’s also out of control.
What This Means ForDen Of Thieves 2’s Prospects
A Lighter Tone Will Make The Movie More Accessible
The injection of humor into serious stories can add a lot of much-needed levity and is a great way of helping the audience through tough and intensive scenes. From theDen Of Thieves 2trailer, it is clear that the tone is lighter this time around.There are more jokes at Nick’s expense, which juxtaposes well with the more serious nature of his character, and ultimately serves to make the movie more accessible to a wider audience. These are well-realized characters now, and the changes to the script allow Butler to explore his comedic acting a little more.
Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera Cast & Character Guide
Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera has Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. set to return to cinema screens in 2025 with a variety of new faces.
It’s unclear how well the movie might perform theatrically, but the hope will be that it can get close to the original, and the script changes should influence this. While the injection of humor makes it a broader movie, which in theory is good for the box office, it’s important to get the balance right.The film needs to make sure it doesn’t veer into territory where it’s trying to be two different movies, and achieving neither successfully. This might mean paring down some of the humor in post-production, and seeing how the film is received will help with this.
Our Take On WhetherDen Of Thieves 2’s Script Changes Will Work
The Same Writer-Director Should Ensure Tonal Similarities
The script changes should be fine provided there are no major changes, and the fact that Gudegast returns as writer-director means the movie should feel tonally similar to the first, with a little more humor. I’m not sure how this will be received by audiences, particularly those who enjoyed the first movie, which was very much humor-free.Den Of Thieves 2must avoid the pitfalls of movies, likeThe Fall Guy, which tried to spread too many different genres and failed to resonate with audiences. If it can do this successfully, it could become one ofButler’s best action movies.
O’Shea Jackson Jr., who plays Donnie, will co-produce the movie along with Butler.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Cast
Sheriff “Big Nick” O’Brien tracks Donnie Wilson to Europe after his daring escape. As Donnie becomes deeply involved with diamond thieves and the Panther mafia, the stakes rise with a plan to rob the world’s largest diamond exchange.
