“Building a Franchise”: Director Shares Positive Update on Gerard Butler’s Franchise Before Second Movie Release

Exciting news has emerged regarding the Den of Thieves franchise as director Christian Gudegast shared promising insights ahead of the much-anticipated release of the second installment on January 10, 2025. Scottish actor Gerard Butler has had an impressive career since the mid-1990s, where he made his debut with a minor role in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. He quickly ascended to prominence in the early 2000s with notable roles in franchise films like Dracula 2000 and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life.

Butler’s breakthrough role in Zack Snyder’s 300 catapulted him into stardom, leading to further success in franchises including his voice work in the beloved How to Train Your Dragon series. The 2010s marked a significant period for Butler, particularly with the Has Fallen series comprising Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, and Angel Has Fallen. His action-packed career continues with upcoming sequels for both Den of Thieves and Greenland, slated for early 2025 releases.

An Optimistic Update on the Den of Thieves Franchise

Upcoming Sequel Release

Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Den of Thieves 2

Gerard Butler as Big Nick in Den of Thieves 2

The second film, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, is poised to pick up where the first installment left off, with Butler reprising his role as Sheriff “Big Nick”O’Brien. In this sequel, he is hot on the trail of Donnie Wilson, played by O’Shea Jackson Jr., who has escaped to Europe and is preparing for a new heist. The film will also see the return of Meadow Williams, further enriching the storyline.

Insights from Director Christian Gudegast

Future of the Franchise

In an exclusive conversation with ScreenRant, director Christian Gudegast revealed his excitement about continuing the Den of Thieves saga. He emphasized the benefits of developing a franchise, which allows for more intricate storytelling and character development over time. His insights on the challenges of feature films emphasize the limitations imposed by running times:

“Yeah, there’s always a push and pull with that—with the studio, and you have to hit the running time to get the theaters. That’s the thing with feature films, right? In the streaming world, the wonderful thing about the long form is that you can really explore characters and take your time with it. I do the same thing, but for features, it’s hard because the real estate’s so limited. Thank God we’re building a franchise, so we have more room and time to explore these guys. We already have so much left to do, still, with them.”

“There’s one scene I think we’re going to be releasing prior to the release of the film that didn’t make it, that’s great, between the two of them. There were several scenes [where] we had to kill our babies, so to speak. We had to let a few of ’em go, which is a bummer, but that’s just kind of what it is.”

Gudegast’s remarks suggest that there could be further installments in the Den of Thieves franchise beyond the upcoming sequel. The narrative is likely to continue following Butler’s Big Nick as he pursues more high-stakes heists. However, the future of the franchise will ultimately depend on the box office performance of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, set to debut in theaters on January 10, 2025.

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