Gerard Butler has his own version of theFast & Furiousfranchise thanks toDen of Thieves 2, but now I just want him to join the real thing. When theDen of Thievesfranchise began in 2018, the movie immediately felt like an R-rated version of earlyFast & Furiousfilms in several ways. The complex heists with shifting allegiances between cops and criminals in a Los Angeles setting harkened back to 2001’sThe Fast and the Furious, in addition to all-time crime films likeHeatand other greatmovies likeDen of Thieves.
This sets up Gerard Butler nicely for the future, as he can keep makingDen of Thievesmovies for years. However, he is not beholden to only being in a single franchise. He’s found success in several other series, such as theHas Fallentrilogy. Through it all,Butler has refrained from joining established franchisesand cinematic universes. His biggest,How To Train Your Dragon, was an unproven property when he got involved. Hissuccess withDen of Thievesas a franchise is impressive in that regard. But I can’t help but want him to doFast & Furiousnext.
Den Of Thieves 2 Makes The Franchise Gerard Butler’s Version Of Fast & Furious
The Parallels Are Even More Obvious Now
If the firstDen of Thieveshad similarities to earlyFast & Furiousmovies,Den of Thieves 2is the film that makes it more in line with the more recent installments. The scale ofDen of Thieves 2is much smaller than something likeFast X, but the connections between them are difficult to ignore. The heist inDen of Thieves 2takes an international turn that became common withFast & Furiousas the series continues. This includes an international cast and a plan that almost feels ripped out ofFast Five.
The sequel even leaned further into the cop/criminal bromance between Big Nick and Donnie.Fast & Furiousdid the same thing with Brian and Dom once the series took off with the fourth installment. There’s even the parallel of the cops moving onto the wrong side of the law and becoming too friendly with the criminal he was previously chasing.Den of Thieves 2’s endingdidn’t shy away from a car chase that also felt right out of aFast & Furiousmovie.
The scale and tone ofDen of Thievesmovies is still very different fromFast & Furious, but the films have become a good showcase for what Gerard Butler can do in this type of genre and franchise. And as fun as it will be to see him keep coming back as Big Nick, a meet up with Vin Diesel and otherFast & Furiousstars would also be incredibly exciting.
Gerard Butler Really Should Just Join The Fast & Furious Franchise
He’d Be An Excellent Addition To The Franchise
After copying the franchise in many ways withDen of Thieves 2, Gerard Butler should just try to find a role in the actualFast & Furiousfranchise next. TheDen of Thievesmovies are a great audition tape, not that he needs one, for how he could effortlessly slide into the Vin Diesel action series.I can easily imagine him filling a role similar to the one Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs hadearlier on. Butler can bring his Big Nick energy toFast & Furiousas a law enforcement agent who will stop at nothing to bring down Dom, or help him take down a bigger threat in the right situation.
Den Of Thieves 3 Is Already Setting Up Its Copy Of Dwayne Johnson’s Fast & Furious Casting
Den of Thieves similarities to the Fast & Furious franchise are about to get a whole lot stronger thanks to an exciting recent casting tease.
But if Butler doesn’t want to play a “good guy,” he could join the ranks ofFast & Furiousvillains instead. The franchise has grown accustomed to casting major stars in antagonist roles and letting them really go for it with their performances at times. Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, and John Cena are the most recent examples of this. In each case, theFast & Furiousfilms have cast someone with significant star power to face off with Vin Diesel. Gerard Butler would be a great way to continue that trend.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Gerard Butler would be a fun addition to theFast & Furiousfranchise
Regardless of if he’d be a hero or villain, there’s no doubt in my mind that Gerard Butler would be a fun addition to theFast & Furiousfranchise. Seeing him fight Vin Diesel or teaming up with him to take on another villain would be truly entertaining. He’d bring some extra charisma, action movie star chops, and comedic potential to the long-running series.
Time Is Running Out For Gerard Butler To Join Fast & Furious
The Fast Saga Is Preparing To End
The bad news for my hopes of Gerard Butler joiningFast & Furiousis that we’re quickly running out of time for this to happen. This is due to the current plan forFast & Furious 11to be the final installment of the main franchise. Vin Diesel has repeatedly said that the upcoming installment will be the end of the Fast Saga. Even if the franchise continues on with Hobbs spinoffs, an all-female team-up, or some other film,Fast 11is expected to be the last time the core cast revolving around Dom are seen.
Fast & Furious 11 is expected to be released in 2026
While Gerard Butler could factor into Universal’s plans forFast & Furiousafter Vin Diesel’s exit, that’s not really the most exciting option. A big part of the appeal to me behind Butler joiningFast & Furiouswould be to see him and Diesel square off in some fashion. That can’t happen if Dom is retired and out of the picture. This leavesFast 11as the last chance for Gerard Butler’s casting to happen. While the ensemble will be packed, there could still be room for theDen of Thieves 2star to join in a meaningful capacity.
Den Of Thieves 2 Sets Up A Bigger Future For Gerard Butler Than Fast & Furious Can Offer
Den Of Thieves Is A Better Long-Term Option
I’d love to see Gerard Butler be inFast 11and fight Vin Diesel ideally, but that doesn’t change the fact that his future with that franchise would probably be more limited than sticking withDen of Thieves. Unless he were brought on for the Fast Saga’s conclusion as part of a plan to have him lead the next iteration of the series,Fast & Furiouswould more likely be a one-and-done rolefor the actor. He could come back in some capacity, even if he weren’t the lead, in future movies, but that’d be less appealing.
That’s the opposite position that he’s in withDen of Thieves. Butler is already confirmed to be coming back forDen of Thieves 3. There’s a decent chance he could return for additional sequels after that too. In each instance, Big Nick will continue to be a major focus and keep Butler in a leading role.Fast & Furioushas more box office appeal globally, andDen of Thievessequels could benefit from Butler’s appearance inFast 11then. Perhaps that’d be reason enough for Gerard Butler to joinFast & FuriousafterDen of Thieves 2.
