MUMBAI: PVR INOX Pictures will be releasing Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, the pulse-pounding sequel to the 2018 action-heist blockbuster. Reuniting Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Detective Nick O’Brien and master thief Donnie Wilson, this highly anticipated follow-up dives into the daring world of high-stakes crime, featuring a breathtaking heist at the world’s largest diamond exchange. Set amidst Europe’s gritty yet glamorous criminal underworld, the stakes and the action - are bigger than ever.
Gerard Butler is no stranger to intense and physically demanding roles, however filming Den of Thieves 2: Pantera proved to be a new level of challenge. Returning as the relentless Detective Nick O’Brien, Butler faced a gauntlet of high-octane stunts that tested his endurance, adaptability, and nerves. Butler enjoyed the rigorous preparation, but executing the demanding stunts presented unique challenges, particularly during scenes inside a Porsche.
“There was so much maneuvering of guns inside the Porsche, which, as much as it’s a beautiful car, wasn’t designed for reloading large guns,” Butler explains. “The tricky thing was, we sometimes had to fire the weapons backwards. We had to lift off the seat, put our butts back almost into the driver’s face, turn our legs around, and then have one hand out the window. This would all be happening while driving at full speed and making turns around sharp bends.”
The challenges didn’t stop with the car chases. Butler also recounted the grueling experience of filming in confined spaces, which brought its own set of obstacles. “At one point we filmed inside these little box rooms with the whole camera crew,” he recalls. “We were dressed in black neoprene bodysuits with thick black masks that stick out half an inch from your face. You put them on, and it feels like you‘re being suffocated. There’s no oxygen, there’s no air, and it’s so hot. A tiny little room with six actors who are panicking, all dressed in black. We’re sweating like crazy, and it’s so hot you think you’re going to have a heatstroke.”
Despite the physically demanding conditions, Butler credits director Christian Gudegast for keeping the production efficient and focused. “Then Christian comes in and films it quickly, in guerilla-filmmaking style,” Butler attests.
The commitment to realism and intensity is a hallmark of the Den of Thieves franchise, fans can expect an adrenaline-fueled experience that goes above and beyond the original installment.
Add new comment