While “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” topped the box office over the weekend, earning an impressive $15M, director Christian Gudegast is already talking about a sequel. In fact, it’s coming much sooner than expected.
Speaking to THR, Gudegast says ‘Den of Thieves 3’ is already in the works, and that it’s practically assured that the sequel will be happening. Don’t be surprised if they shoot this one as early as this year:
It’s already pitched. It’s already done. We’re ready to go […] We’re feeling very good about it. But, sure, knock on wood. It doesn’t hurt.
The budget for ‘Den of Thieves 2’ was around $35M, and although it might make its money back theatrically, the end goal for this one, much like the first instalment, is a long shelf life on VOD and streaming. That’s where Gerard Butler fans seem to be primarily located these days.
“Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” starring Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr, was distributed by Lionsgate. The film currently sits at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 59 on Metacritic. It’s another mid-budget hit for Butler who has become the sort of B-movie action hero, especially on PVOD/streaming, that would have thrived in the straight-to-DVD market, with such titles as “Plane” and “Greenland.”