Warning: SPOILERS forDen of ThievesandDen of Thieves 2: Pantera.Gerard Butler’sDen of Thieves 2: Panterajust released on Netflix, and director Christian Gudegast is already wheels up on the next installment.Den of Thieves 2’s endingalready set up a potential sequel, so this isn’t entirely surprising. After the first film’s reveal that Donnie was the true mastermind behind the movie’s heist, the sequel follows his new crew as they plan to rip off the World Diamond Center in France. Themeaning ofPanterain the film’s title references both Donnie’s new crew, The Panthers, and the task force set on apprehending them.
Much as inDen of Thieves 2’s real-life inspiration, the 2003 Antwerp diamond heist, the team finds themselves up against a number of high-tech security measures. This greatly raises the stakes from the first movie. And whileDen of Thieves 2didn’t perform nearly as well as its predecessor, its current streaming release will allow those who missed it in theaters to decide for themselves whether the film’s numerous changes from the first installment ultimately work in its favor.
Den Of Thieves 2 Is Now Streaming On Netflix After Releasing In Theaters Two Months Ago
Gerard Butler’s Sequel Is Sure to Experience A Popularity Boost
It’s only been a little over two months sinceDen of Thieves 2’s box office disappointment. Gerard Butler’s sequel to 2018’sDen of Thieveswas released in theaters on August 20, 2025. Considering the movie’s 53-day theatrical run,it was barely out of theaters by the time of its Netflix release. The movie actually did better than expected upon its initial release, but the numbers fell quickly. Fortunately, its streaming release might easily provide the movie with the popularity boost it needs.
Gerard Butler Will Easily Rebound From His Underwhelming Action Movie In 3 Months With $1.6 Billion Franchise Return
Den of Thieves 2’s failure won’t affect Gerard Butler nearly as much after his next big franchise releases its first movie later in 2025.
A number of movies have trouble getting people into seats, even those who might generally be interested in a particular franchise. Action movies are especially prone to this issue, and it didn’t help thatseven years passed between the release ofDen of Thievesand its sequel. With momentum stalled for that long, initial interest had largely died down. But those who watch similar films and might want to see howDen of Thieves 2’s Donniehandles his next heist can now bank on the sequel appearing in Netflix’s list of recommended movies.
How Den Of Thieves 2 Compares To The Original Movie In 2018
The Movies Definitely Did Not Achieve Equal Success
Although neither movie was exactly a critical darling,the firstDen of Thievesmoviereceived significantly worse reviews than its sequel. Despite its consensus referring toDen of Thieves 2as “Dad Cinema,”Rotten Tomatoesreports the sequel receiving a 63% score against the first movie’s 41%. Unfortunately,Pantera’s reviews weren’t enough to save it from box office failure. While the first movie made $80.5 million against a $30 million budget,Den of Thieves 2increased the budget by $10 million yet only netted $57.1 million, generally considered much too low to break even.
Den Of Thieves 2 Officially Beat Michael Mann To The Crime Franchise He Debuted 30 Years Ago
Den of Thieves 2 is officially a franchise with the release of the second film, and it has done so much quicker than Michael Mann’s 1995 classic.
This is especially disappointing becauseDen of Thieves 2had a lot more room to expand and play around with its story. After the reveal thatDen of Thieves’ Merrimenwas never the main villain he appeared to be,the sequel is able to play around a lot more with Donnie and his relationship with Nick.Den of Thieves 2also makes a number of similar changes from the first movie as theFast & Furioussequels, such as its international setting, the addition of a new criminal threat, and having its main law enforcement character join the heist team.
Den Of Thieves 3 Is Already In Development
Minor Story Details Have Been Revealed
AlthoughFast & Furiousis only one of manymovies likeDen of Thieves, it appears that the commonalities in their sequels will carry over intoDen of Thieves 3. There aren’t a lot of concrete details onDen of Thieves 3’s storyjust yet, but directorChristian Gudegast has said that the movie will take place in Africa and be based on another real-life heist. Lionsgate officially greenlit the threequel within a month ofDen of Thieves 2’s release, and Gudegast has said he’s already finished the script.
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SinceDen of Thieves 3isn’t planned to enter production until 2026, Gudegast’s script could change drastically in the preceding months. However, his ultimate franchise plan reveals thatDen of Thieves 2: Panterasets the mold for at least three future installments. Like theFast & Furiousfranchise, Butler’s action films will become a globe-hopping adventure that sees its characters taking flight to Asia and South America in the movies followingDen of Thieves 3. And if the sequel’s Netflix release helps boost its popularity, then hopefully future installments may fare better at the box office as a result.
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.
