Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is set to arrive in theaters in 2025, and Gerard Butler’s protagonist has undergone an intriguing character change with profound implications for how the story will play out. The first Den of Thieves follows Nick O’Brien (played by Butler), an unconventional but ultimately justice-resolved cop, as he and his deputies attempt to unravel a heist planned by a crew of criminals. Den of Thieves‘ ending perfectly set the stage for a sequel, with the plot twist revealing the criminal mastermind was actually the getaway driver “Big Nick” O’Brien nearly had in custody.

The Den of Thieves sequel continues with an interesting character dynamic development. The gruff cop and aforementioned getaway driver, Donnie, join forces, with O’Shea Jackson Jr. set to return. Europe isn’t the only thing this sequel will be exploring, as this twist on the cat-and-mouse trope will have the Den of Thieves’ protagonist operating on the other side of the law. Given his personality and clear sense of justice established in the original Den of Thieves, this change suggests a very different kind of story.

Den Of Thieves 2 Making Gerard Butler’s Big Nick A Criminal Is A Smart Change

Nick O’Brien’s decision to join forces with Donnie, while certainly unexpected, isn’t unreasonable. The cop was already leaning towards corruption, with his hardcore way of practicing the law all too often aligning with the actions of those who tend to break it. So, selfishly following his desires into a life of crime would be a reasonable progression of his character arc. While Nick’s sharp wit and analysis talents were respected by his superiors, the same couldn’t be said for his no-holds-barred policing techniques. It will be interesting to see his behavior encouraged rather than condemned.

Additionally, it remains to be seen how Nick will resolve any new conflicts with his morals and personal identity. The first Den of Thieves movie never explicitly covered whether Nick was motivated by halting crime or simply motivated by being right. His turn to the dark side suggests the latter, but with a character as complex as Big Nick, there are many potential character arcs to explore.

Den Of Thieves 2 Can Be A Proper Buddy Crime Movie Now

Nick and Donnie teaming up means Den of Thieves 2: Pantera can take on the buddy crime genre, with the enemies returning to the screen as allies. The dynamic will certainly give the movie’s heists unique angles, with Nick’s understanding of legal procedures being strengthened by Donnie’s criminal street smarts. The relationship change between the two will most likely result in much more exciting and coordinated heist sequences, and it will be exciting to see how the film merges its thrilling crime action with the “buddy” film structure.

Partnering Butler and Jackson Jr. also gives the Den of Thieves sequel an opportunity to further imbue some of the character moments we saw in the first movie, like the heartwarming scene where 50 Cent and his crew of thieves intimidate his daughter’s date to the prom before getting dinner together. With a movie as packed as Den of Thieves, it’s unsurprising that these moments were few and far between, but ideally, this unconventional duo will allow the story to find extra spots of humor in between the crime heists.

The One Problem With Den Of Thieves 2 Making Gerard Butler A Criminal

While the new partners-in-crime are ramping up anticipation for the movie, making Big Nick and Donnie side-by-side protagonists raises one big issue for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera – there is no established antagonist. The first movie spent two hours building up tension that perfectly came to its hilt in the final plot twist, and even if that tension is still present in the sequel, the protagonists have nowhere to put it. Any heist movie is made more palpable with a strong, convincing antagonist, and without the familiarity of an old villain, Den of Thieves needs to find a perfect replacement.

…if the protagonists don’t meet a worthy and formidable obstacle, the personal stakes and character authenticity built in the first film may be lost to novelty…

This new antagonist has large boots to fill, having to be as intense and entertaining as Nick, and as cunning and sneaky as Donnie, while also being unique enough to not remind the audience of the void they are filling. The villain could be an officer from Nick’s unit, to further test his personal resolve, but the story is set in Europe, so this is unlikely. Wherever the story goes, if the protagonists don’t meet a worthy and formidable obstacle, the personal stakes and character authenticity built in the first film may be lost to novelty in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.