You never know what movies are going to lead to sequels, and possibly create franchises that will go on for years. Just look at The Fast and the Furious franchise, which is gearing up to release its eleventh movie (which alone is insanity) but also led to spinoffs, theme park rides, and probably will transition to television in some format. Studio executives just have to be ready to respond when fan interaction signals the launch of a hit. Which is what happened with Den of Thieves, a 2018 raw-meat drama about an L.A. county sheriff with the incredible nickname Big Nick (Gerard Butler, rarely better) tracking down a gang of criminals looking to pull off a massive heist. The movie didn’t get great reviews, and it did OK at the box office. But on streaming? It became the ideal rewatchable thriller.
This week, after several years of delay, the anticipated sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera bounds into theaters, shifting the action out of Los Angeles and delivering on the promise that was teased in the closing minutes of the original movie. We get Gerard Butler back as “Big Nick” in the sequel, and he’s reteaming with O’Shea Jackson’s Donnie Wilson, this time for a scheme that has them targeting diamond merchants. Because this looks like it’s going to be the continuation of a franchise, I asked the guys who they’d want to see in the eventual Den of Thieves 3. And they had an instant answer:
JACKSON: Let me tell you, man, as long as O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Gerard Butler are in it, I'm fine. (laughs) But yeah, anybody who wants to play ball. Obviously, it's all on the public, who pretty much tells the studio that we need a third one. We need a trilogy going. There's a ton of action stars out there. I'm gonna shout out Idris Elba, just to shout him out. Why not? BUTLER: I already worked with Idris. You can't go wrong with Idris Elba in any way. In life. In a movie. He's an all round amazing individual. A phenomenal actor.
Gerard Butler is going all the way back to the excellent Guy Ritchie action comedy RocknRolla, which also featured memorable turns from Thandie Newton, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, and Toby Kebbell. And truthfully, I want all of them in the assumed Den of Thieves 3. I’d even say lure Guy Ritchie back and let him direct one of these movies, but director Christian Gudegast has a firm grip on the series.
He was sitting beside his producer Tucker Tooley, who chimed in on the concept of adding another action star. Tooley, to my surprise, also offered Idris Elba, saying:
We've talked about a lot of actors. I think Idris Elba is someone we really like. I've made a film with him. He's phenomenal, and kind of fits in the world perfectly.
Makes me think there already have been conversations. And why not? Idris Elba is a fantastic actor, and a proven leading man. There’s a reason his name seemed to be in the mix every time James Bond casting was rumored. Before we get to Den of Thieves 3, people need to turn up for Den of Thieves 2, which got off to $1.35M in Thursday previews. That bodes well for the weekend, but we shall see how it goes.
