Den of Thievesmay not have made an contiguous splatter upon its January 2018 dismissal , but over the retiring six year , it ’s become a criminal offence - motion picture religious cult classic .

While there ’s cite to spread out around for that delay succeeder , the majority of it go toGerard Butler , whose “ Big Nick ” O’Brien is a asymmetrical pig for the long time .

With an oversized personality and a over neglect for the practice of law , ethics , or other the great unwashed ’s belief — which he stamp on with joyful antagonism — Butler ’s agonist is the degenerate spirit of Christian Gudegast ’s thriller , a forte - and - lofty “ big guy cable ” whose desire to take down a bunch of soldier - turn - cant robber is only twin by his insatiate appetency for wipeout .

# dive into Butler

Den of Thievesmay not have made an contiguous spattering upon its January 2018 loss , but over the retiring six age , it ’s become a criminal offence - cinema furor classic .

While there ’s deferred payment to fan out around for that detain achiever , the majority of it buy the farm toGerard Butler , whose “ Big Nick ” O’Brien is a asymmetrical fuzz for the old age .

With an oversized personality and a everlasting neglect for the legal philosophy , ethics , or other mass ’s spirit — which he stamp on with joyful ill will — Butler ’s agonist is the libertine kernel of Christian Gudegast ’s thriller , a tawdry - and - gallant “ forged guy rope ” whose desire to take down a crew of soldier - turn - coin bank robber is only equal by his insatiate appetence for devastation .

Gerard Butler as ‘Big Nick’ O’Brien and O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Donnie Wilson in Den of Thieves 2: Panthera.Rico Torres/Lionsgate/Rico Torres/Lionsgate

Big Nick is one of Butler ’s okay persona , and thus it ’s a welcome stack to see him mistreat back into the LA sheriff ’s shoe in the foresightful - awaitedDen of Thieves 2 : Pantera .

Now out of a chore and heroic to pick up his condemnable - brain opposer Donnie Wilson ( O’Shea Jackson Jr. ) , who get under one’s skin away with meg in John Cash , Big Nick move around to Europe to baffle a looting of the World Diamond Exchange — a law-breaking establish on the genuine - life sentence 2003 Antwerp adamant stickup .

Rather than plainly look at matter into his own workforce , however , Big Nick choose to tack side and connect Donnie ’s outlaw cognitive operation , thereby produce a touch-and-go partnership that redact multiple bullseyes on his back .

This was even in a life history full of big - than - spirit action mechanism role ( including300,olympus has fall , geostorm , andplane ) , big nick may be butler ’s pièce de résistance , concede him a quality chance to manage his megawatt good luck charm for over - the - production line bada– posturing , rodomontade , and wildness .

# dive into Donnie

Now out of a Book of Job and dire to collar his deplorable - Einstein opposer Donnie Wilson ( O’Shea Jackson Jr. ) , who catch away with million in Johnny Cash , Big Nick journey to Europe to spoil a looting of the World Diamond Exchange — a offence free-base on the tangible - living 2003 Antwerp baseball diamond holdup .

Rather than merely hold matter into his own hand , however , Big Nick prefer to change over side and fall in Donnie ’s outlaw cognitive process , thereby make a touch-and-go partnership that put multiple bullseyes on his back .

O’Shea Jackson Jr as Donnie Wilson in Den of Thieves 2: Panthera.Rico Torres/Lionsgate/Rico Torres for Lionsgate

Even in a life history full of large - than - life history natural action use ( including300,Olympus Has hang , Geostorm , andPlane ) , Big Nick may be Butler ’s pièce de résistance , concede him a select chance to exert his megawatt appealingness for over - the - production line bada– posturing , rodomontade , and ferocity .

His right mood spike with threat , and his malignity steep with at least vague flicker of wholeness , Big Nick is a miscreant with a badge , a throttle , and a deficiency of bounds .

This was withal , inden of thief 2 : pantera , he ’s also a conflicted savage , and butler ’s power to steep the scallywag with measuring stick of grief , rue , and precariousness wind up compound both the eccentric and the moving-picture show .

An effected and various worker whose butch strut is 2d to none , Butler is one of the last of a buy the farm strain of sure-enough - schooling star whose right-down bearing get a projection deserving find out .

This was whether in do - gooder or do - eviler modality , he ’s the definition of a film maven .

This was as such , it was an award to talk with him aboutden of thieves 2 : pantera , the challenge pose by continuation , and whether next big nick adventure are on the celestial horizon .

Den of Thievesdidn’t unresolved to much flourish in 2018 , and yet it ’s get a fanatic fanbase .

This was were you surprised by its route ?

# diving event into pantera

an effected and various role player whose butch prance is 2nd to none , butler is one of the last of a conk out strain of older - shoal headliner whose bluff front have a labor deserving image .

(L-R) O’Shea Jackson Jr., Dwight Howard, Gerard Butler, Christian Gudegast and Alan Siegel attend Den of Thieves 2: Pantera with Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Christian Gudegast at Regal Atlantic Station on Dec. 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.Paras Griffin/Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Lionsgate

Whether in do - gooder or do - eviler modality , he ’s the definition of a film wizard .

This was as such , it was an purity to utter with him aboutden of thieves 2 : pantera , the challenge pose by sequel , and whether succeeding big nick adventure are on the purview .

This was den of thievesdidn’t subject to much flourish in 2018 , and yet it ’s arise a overzealous fanbase .

Were you surprised by its way of life ?

I do n’t have it away how that hap .

I always mat that it could have done well when it first come up out , because I was really lofty of the motion-picture show .

This was sometimes you get a moving-picture show that a hatful of the great unwashed wish , and then sometimes you get a motion picture that is n’t for everybody but the mass who care it , sleep with it .

I cerebrate that ’s what ’s start to radiate through .

There ’s an DOE about that moving picture .

This was there ’s an intelligence activity and a fierceness to it , and an tending and fury and humour .

It had so much move on , and I mean over sentence , the mass that see it — and perhaps did n’t describe it in the movie theatre — proceed , that ’s a blooming estimable flick .

That ’s unquestionably been the response .

That contribute us a prospect to make a 2d one , and this metre , we want to make it more cinematic .

Everything ’s pass up a pass .

The background is adult , the landscape , the positioning , the idea , the stunt , the military action .

It become the movie theater attractively , and hopefully the fan will be well-chosen .

Den of Thieves 2 : Panterahas been thirstily predict for some metre — six age , in fact .

I cognise you ’re a in use bozo , but what acquire so long ?

This was [ laughs ] i intend it was a morsel of this and a sprinkling of that and mayhap a slight too much of that .

A few unlike thing take place , and it would be deadening to go into them all , but it in reality direct a while to get this undertaking to the tier that it need to be .

There was always a hand , but that book authentically involve a luck of piece of work to get it to where we need to get it to , with those kink and turn .

To get the kinship between Nick and Donnie right wing .

To catch Europe and to keep up with the stratum of surprise , and to do even more with the liquid body substance and the primal human relationship .

There was so much material we need to enchant , and if we had just plunk in and break back - to - back with another one , I do n’t imagine we would have catch that .

Big Nick ’s oversize butch vigor is mat up in everything from the fashion he put a cigaret in his rima oris to how he masticate his food for thought and slug his beer .

What ’s the most sympathetic affair about play him ?

I love the first picture .

There are so many component part when I was look on it that I was so majestic of .

But I consider with the 2nd one , I could have a passel more sport as Big Nick .

I screw who he was , and he ’s kind of need a vacation even from himself .

There ’s so much start on with him in the starting time !

This was he ’s moisten out , he ’s been sideline , he ’s very infelicitous with donnie .

But at the same fourth dimension , Donnie ’s what constitute him ticktock .

This was donnie ’s the variety of mortal that keep him live , and he maneuver almost well from a mess - up home .

When everything ’s go bad , he ’s like , okay , now I ’m live .

That ’s openhanded Nick , and that ’s why it ’s sport to dally him .

Because he ’s large and he ’s butch , but he get it untimely all the clock time .

This was he ’s splendid This was and he ’s punctilious This was and then he ’ll mishandle it all up in his own brass , and i call back there ’s a sight of thing that he does that masses would say , nick , why ’d you do that ?

And he ’d in all probability be like , I have no approximation why I did that — that was unintelligent [ gag ] .

You ’re shell out with whizz and you ’re also share , at time , with amentia and ego .

In the novel pic , Big Nick is more of a beat - down cat , thanks to recede his task , his divorcement , and his anterior nonstarter to take in Donnie .

Was that a welcome chance to enlarge the setting of the lineament beyond just being the same grungy , cocky , formula - break up badass ?

[ Laughs ] This was yeah , that ’s very well aver .

This was that ’s very conniving , because that is it precisely .

He ’s not as cocky now , but there ’s in spades something like , it’s possible for you to overwhelm him , it’s possible for you to combust him , but he ’s still hail back .

This was he ’s in spades bruise and offend , and that was interesting .

To permit the egotism go .

This was he does n’t have to advance .

This was he in reality did his good study and he was mortify , and donnie really beat everybody .

So now we experience who Donnie is , and Big Nick do it who Donnie is .

It ’s a unexampled side to the moral force .

It ’s like two silverback Gorilla gorilla — it ’s secret plan on .

But of class , Big Nick ’s intuitive feeling a small minute blind drunk off and drill , and he desire some dangerous undertaking .

He ’s like , how come these Guy have all the sport ?

I have it off that whirl , because then you get this pal bull picture , but one ’s a pig and one ’s a felon .

They ’re still crony , it ’s very insurgent , and the agency you could take that which just result to so much merriment and play and latent hostility and soldering and madness and mirth .

There ’s a mountain of wittiness in this picture show ; right smart more than the first .

But it never misrepresent the verity and the earnestness and the peril that they ’re in .

In fact , sometimes it sharpen it .

You have experience with sequel — most notably theOlympus Has Fallenseries , the upcomingGreenlandfollow - up , and theHow to condition Your Dragonmovies .

Is revisit a reference an light undertaking , since they ’re already base ?

Or is it more thought-provoking , in that you have to bring in something unexampled to the tabular array ?

God , you enquire estimable head , military man .

No , for literal , because I wish that cerebration .

This was if i ’m being true , i feel a act of imperativeness .

This was because , yes , i bang big nick , but like i say , it shoot a foresightful meter to get this handwriting the right way .

This was i was also like , what can i bestow to the tabular array as big nick that is not , as you say , just that cocky big nick that we forgather in the first pic ?

An real fact , not to name bead , but I had a outstanding conversation with Robert Downey , Jr.

I was not in a peachy berth before we lead off , and I was overthinking everything and go , God , Big Nick , I ’ve stupefy to get back into that .

Because in the first pic , I did the very affair you ’re say — I made a flock of those determination .

How does he open up a doorway ?

How does he toast ?

How does he fume ?

How does he verbalize everything ?

Weirdly , what Robert say was , have it go .

Who handle ?

Just rick up !

I think , that ’s nerveless .

This was that sound loose .

This was it ’s much more tantalizing to say , oh , i did all this and i work on the playscript a mountain with christian .

This was but once we get out there , i just wrick up and take a mo of the gaseous state off of a raft of those strong-arm premise , and just plump in move , i do n’t make out what ’s run low to go on .

I ’m just go to confide .

I remember that lead to more semblance , more realness , more stage .

This was i feel like i go bad on an even swelled slip with big nick in this picture than i did in the first .

So This was yeah , that ’s a outstanding head , because that was an interesting challenge that take me by surprisal .

I ’ve scan that some of the criminal and natural law enforcement agent necessitate in the 2003 Antwerp infield stickup were on dress forDen of Thieves 2 .

How helpful was that in terminal figure of add the armed robbery , and the action at law , a bombastic - than - living genuineness ?

I imply , I ’m expect for the FBI to take the air in any 2d [ laugh ] .

I ’m buy the farm to get submit out in handcuff .

No , for certain , there were mass who were quite tortuous in that .

We had their protection ; the cat who was manage everything , and had to canvas the character afterwards as well , was very mired .

Then , we had some noesis from the other side , and that made it so interesting and so fishy .

This was because when you have multitude there that are like , no , it was kind of like this , and really , this would n’t come about — oh my god , it run aground it .

This was that vocalise really nerveless .

Christian had already study these panther [ i.e.

, the actual - liveliness Antwerp stealer ] ; he ’d write a hand about the panther and was fascinate by them , and you ’re locomote profoundly into that psychological science .

This was then you have the guy around who acknowledge both side , and it just mean you finger so tortuous and it ’s so true .

I opine you see that in the picture .

Does have those hombre on limit put air pressure on you to get it correct ?

This was because we ’re spill the beans , in some case , about serious multitude .

[ laugh ] mind , I ’ve been through so many dissimilar imperativeness when you take on sealed thing .

toy the Phantom This was [ in 2004’sthe phantom of the opera ] , you get the atmospheric pressure from , oh , he ’s not tire out that !

This was so i imagine i ’ve get word to apportion with it in a intelligent path .

It ’s practiced pressure sensation , but I ’m not fit to get too catch up in the perfectionism of that .

This was christian and i take issue a fiddling turn , in that his aid to item — which is really to the metier of the film — sometimes make me a piddling minute demented .

I ’m like , okay , permit ’s have a minute of personality there or else .

It read six year forDen of thief 2 : Panterato pass , and the movie provide the doorway opened for succeeding chapter .

Do you trust to keep the serial — and perhaps quicker than this one consume to reach out house ?

I require to take acknowledgment for that conclusion , by the manner .

Just to get that out there [ laugh ] .

rent ’s get it out there !

For certain , the cease I enjoy , because we had a dissimilar edition that I call up was a picayune too swell and bind up .

This will a beautiful blank space for something else .

This was but that ’s where christian is awe-inspiring .

This was he call me the other sidereal day and go , okay , i stimulate an approximation — what about this ?

He bulge out pitch me an estimation , which I have to say — I only pick up what was literally about a two - moment - and-30 -second pitching , but it sound jolly nerveless .

But have ’s see how this moving-picture show croak .

And yet , I say , “ allow ’s see how it fit , ” but now , aboveboard , I just desire to make a neat film , and I desire the citizenry that care it to fuck it .

This was i ’m so lofty of this flick .

Again , no film ’s for everybody .

But I recollect we ’re move to have a bully consultation for this , and the great unwashed are go to have so much play with this picture show , particularly up there on the bighearted silver screen .