Gerard Butler is known for his versatility as an actor, but he has particularly made his mark in the action genre. He made his on-screen debut in the biographical drama Mrs. Brown, followed by his first action role in a supporting capacity in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. Butler then took on supporting roles in the 1998 genre films The Tale of the Mummy and Fast Food. His breakout moment came when he starred as the titular vampire in the action horror film Dracula 2000, solidifying his status as a leading figure in genre films.
Butler also starred in Zack Snyder's historical action film 300, portraying King Leonidas—a role that remains one of his most iconic. However, his career spans a wide array of genres beyond his action roots. He won over audiences with his voice work as Stoick in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise and showcased his romantic side in comedies like The Ugly Truth and P.S. I Love You. Despite these diverse roles, Butler has continued to make action films, one of which laid the groundwork for a potential franchise that has yet to be realized.
In a recent interview with ScreenRant, director Christian Gudegast discussed the lengthy delay in producing Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. The sequel to the 2018 action heist film, which starred Gerard Butler as Detective "Big Nick" O'Brien—an LA County detective determined to dismantle a notorious bank robbery crew planning a heist on the Federal Reserve Bank—was affected by various global circumstances. Gudegast explained that "the state of the world" played a significant role in holding up production.
Originally slated to begin filming just before the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was halted due to shutdowns and safety protocols. As the film industry gradually recovered, Den of Thieves 2 faced further setbacks, including an actor's injury and the impact of the war in Ukraine, which disrupted their filming plans. The sequel is now set to be released on January 10 and will revolve around a diamond heist. Check out Gudegast's full comments below:
Gudegast explained, "The state of the world really affected our timeline. The first setback was COVID-19. We were all set to start production when the pandemic hit, and that changed everything. Then one of our lead actors suffered a knee injury, which delayed us by about nine months. We had planned to film in Belgrade and Croatia, but when the war in Ukraine broke out, many Ukrainians sought refuge in those areas, making it difficult to find available accommodations for our crew. After that, we considered moving the production to France, but then the exchange rate became unfavorable, forcing us to look for a different location with better tax incentives. We faced numerous challenges—just the realities of production these days."
As if these obstacles weren't enough, the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in 2023 posed yet another potential hurdle for their production. Such delays have impacted numerous other films, including Wicked, which finally premiered this year. With Den of Thieves 2: Pantera set to hit theaters next month, it will be intriguing to see if the action film can still capture the audience's attention after such a lengthy wait.
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