“Den of Thieves 2: Panthera” is a thrilling and action-packed American heist film, a sequel to the 2018 “Den of Thieves”. The film is directed and written by Christian Gudegast, who also showed his brilliant talent in the first part. The film stars Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. returning to their old roles, while the new story takes inspiration from the 2003 Antwerp diamond heist. The film revolves around Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Deputy Sheriff Nick O’Brien, who travels to Europe while pursuing a suspected thief, Donnie Wilson, and ends up planning a major heist with him. The film features great action, a cleverly woven plot, and the use of new locations. The 144-minute film was released in the United States on January 10, 2025, and received mixed reviews from critics. Made on a budget of $40 million, the film collected $57 million worldwide. “Den of Thieves 2: Panthera” turns out to be an entertaining experience for both old fans and new audiences.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Den of Thieves 2: Pantera |
| Director | Christian Gudegast |
| Writer | Christian Gudegast |
| Based On | Characters by Christian Gudegast and Paul Scheuring |
| Producers | Tucker Tooley, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Mark Canton |
| Main Cast | Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Meadow Williams, Swen Temmel |
| Cinematography | Terry Stacey |
| Editor | Roberth Nordh |
| Music Composer | Kevin Matley |
| Production Companies | Tucker Tooley Entertainment, eOne Features, G-BASE, Diamond Film Productions |
| Distributor | Lionsgate |
| Release Date | January 10, 2025 |
| Running Time | 144 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Box Office | $57.4 million |
| Genre | Action, Heist, Crime Thriller |
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera Story
“Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” is an American action-heist film, a sequel to the 2018 film “Den of Thieves”. The film is directed and written by Christian Gudegest. The story begins in Antwerp, Belgium, where Donnie Wilson along with the ‘Panther Crew’ steals a precious red diamond and some files. After this, Deputy Sheriff Nick O’Brien in Long Beach, California, who is now divorced and suspended from the job, reaches Europe behind Donnie.
The Panther Crew now plans to rob a diamond vault in Nice, France. Donnie sneaks in by posing as a bank officer, and Nick quietly tracks him down. Nick forcibly joins the Panther Crew. Meanwhile, an Italian mafia group also comes into the story, which wants the stolen red diamond back.
There are many twists during the heist, such as the mafia attack and the struggle of the Panther Crew. In the end, Nick, Donnie and other members barely escape. But the story doesn’t end there—Nick informs the police and Donnie goes to jail. However, the mafia offers to free Donnie from jail and include him in their gang.
The film presents a great story full of action, adventure and deception, which keeps the audience hooked till the end. “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” is a strong and entertaining sequel that continues the legacy of the first part.
Movie Review
The movie “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” was a very disappointing experience for me. Right from the beginning, the movie seemed boring and confusing. The opening scene itself had no grip, and the story kept moving forward without any solid direction. The jokes in the movie also seemed very weak and childish. In one scene, when a Serbian/Russian character changes the song to say, “Now this is real gangsta,” I lost my patience and had to stop the movie.
The story clearly lacks logic. Nick, who is a cop, is so easily inducted into the Panther crew, just because the other members were also once in the police? Nick enters the group by threatening Donnie forcefully, and yet everyone trusts him! The heist part was a little interesting, but its entire presentation also seemed very filmy and artificial, as if an attempt was made to copy “The Bank Job”.
The story drags on even after the heist, where Nick betrays his companions and is spared. Then a short emotional scene is shown between Donnie and Nick in the jail, in which Nick gives a code message like “sit back left”. After that, without any special explanation, Donnie is freed by the mafia during the jail transfer. Then Donnie sends a message that all the other companions have also been released. All this is shown suddenly and in an unbelievable way.
Donnie getting a new job offer from the mafia boss also adds more force to the story. Overall, the film neither had the seriousness of the original “Den of Thieves” nor a strong script.
Another reviewer said that one should not have watched this film with high expectations. If you watch it for a simple Friday night, then maybe you can get some entertainment. But those who compare it with the first part will definitely be disappointed. “DOT2” is a great example of why sequels are not made to great films like “Heat”.
Gerard Butler did a good job for his age, but the story was so weak that even his acting could not save the film. O’Shea Jackson Jr. also maintained simplicity in his role, which is commendable.
Overall, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” is a mediocre film that made no sense to watch in the cinema. If watched at home on Netflix for time pass, then it is fine, but keep the expectations very low. Please, no more sequels of this story should be made now. Let it end peacefully here.
Movie Trailer
Conclusion
This film “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” proved to be much weaker than the first part. The lack of novelty and depth in the story is clearly visible. The behavior of the characters seems unnatural and the heist scenes also do not live up to expectations. Although some actors made a good effort, the weak screenplay reduced the impact of the film. If you want to watch it for entertainment without much expectations, then it can be watched once, otherwise this film will seem like a waste of time. Overall, it is an average experience that will be forgotten quickly.