Gerard Butler Making A Sequel To A Fan-Favorite Movie

Gerard Butler has confirmed one of his most loved films is getting a sequel.

By Michileen Martin | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

gerard butler den of thieves 2

Beloved Scottish actor Gerard Butler has confirmed that a sequel to one his fans’ favorite films is on the way. No, it isn’t another 300 epic, or a new Olympus Has Fallen entry, or a follow-up to the 2009 flop Gamer. Instead, Butler says Den of Thieves 2 is on its way: a sequel to the 2018 action heist flick Den of Thieves.

Gerard Butler was promoting his new action thriller Copshop when he spilled the beans on Den of Thieves 2, aka Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. Butler didn’t give Unilad a lot of details as far as cast or release date, but he provided some broad strokes about the story. He says his character — LAPD Detective “Big Nick” O’Brien — will be on the trail of Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) from the first film. He added that O’Brien will be looking for Donnie for different reasons than fans might think.

Gerard Butler also told Unilad the sequel will take the action across the pond to Europe. Locations likely to appear in Den of Thieves 2 include “Marseilles, the Alps and London.” With Europe as its setting, Butler said to expect Den of Thieves 2 to feel more glamorous, sexy, and fun than its predecessor.

gerard butler den of thieves 2

According to the sequel’s IMDb page, Christian Gudegas — who directed and co-wrote the first Den of Thieves — is expected to return as writer and director. With Gerard Butler mentioning the involvement of Donnie, it’s assumed Jackson will reprise the role unless the character is recast for some reason. The page also lists rapper 50 Cent returning as robber Enson Levoux.

While talking about Copshop and Den of Thieves 2, Gerard Butler revealed something else interesting. For reasons Unilad wasn’t able to get out of him, he apparently has a strict anti-Ryan-Reynolds policy. Because of the runaway success of Free Guy — in which Reynolds stars as a minor character in an online video game — Unilad brought up the film to suggest Butler’s 2009 flop Gamer may have been before its time. The actor was apparently confused by the Free Guy reference and when his Copshop co-star Alexis Louder explained it was a Ryan Reynolds movie, Butler said, “Oh sh*t is it… I don’t watch Ryan Reynolds movies.”

At the risk of sounding like troublemakers, we hope Reynolds hears about this interview quickly. Considering Reynolds is known for, among other things, his irreverent public image which includes playful rivalries and feuds with celebrities like Hugh Jackman, it’s tempting to imagine exactly how the actor would respond to Gerard Butler’s no-Reynolds policy. Might it even include a comparison of Free Guy‘s 81% Rotten Tomatoes score versus Gamer‘s 30%? We can only imagine.

gerard butler den of thieves 2
Gerard Butler stars in Den of Thieves

Gerard Butler’s newest film is Copshop in which he plays professional hitman Bob Viddick. His target is the con man Teddy Murretto, played by Frank Grillo (Boss Level, Captain America: The Winter Soldier). Rookie cop Valerie Young, played by Alexis Louder (The Tomorrow War), gets caught up in the conflict between the two crooks. Copshop opens in theaters today: Friday, September 10.