One of the biggest names behind Den of Thieves 2: Pantera revealed the unfortunate meaning of the movie's twist-filled ending.
The Gerard Butler-led crime thriller centered yet again on Butler's "Big Nick" O'Brien, a cop who, this time around, breaks bad and helps a group of criminals led by O'Shea Jackson Jr.'s Donnie Wilson in a massive diamond heist.
However, the movie's shocking ending revealed Nick's intentions may not have been all they were thought to be, as he turned in his criminal partners to the police while letting Jackson's Donnie walk free.
Den of Thieves 2 Ending Explained by Gerard Butler
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera star Gerard Butler explained the unfortunate meaning of the movie's ending.
Speaking as part of an interview with Screen Rant, Butler broke down the final few moments of his 2025 crime thriller, in which his character offers O'Shea Jackson Jr.'s criminal Donnie Wilson an under-the-table deal that would see the character walk free following his criminal diamond heist plot seen throughout the movie.
Many had taken Donnie's 'get out of jail free' card from Butler's Big Nick as a tease that the pair will work together again in the future, but that sadly does not look like it will be the case.
Butler said that the movie's ending was meant to represent a moment of "I see you [but] we're quits now" between the two characters:
"Well, I loved... By the way, that was my ending. I just want to say, it was my ending. I love that it is two guys going, 'I see you. We're quits now. I feel like you've had your moment in the sun [and] I've had my moment in the sun. I'm not quite running off into the sunset with you, but I see you, I'm doing my thing, you're doing your thing, and maybe [we’ll give each other] a pass.' I like that we're set in our different directions, but with respect and a nod of the cap, like, 'There you go, sir.' That was fun, and who knows where that's going to go? I like it like that."
This seemingly confirms that the pair of characters' partnership is done by the end of the movie, as opposed to the grand finale setting up the pair going off on yet another job (read more about the Den of Thieves 2 ending here).
As for what Jackson thought of where the movie's conclusion left his character (as he teamed up with the dangerous Panthers mafia), he mentioned in the same interview that there is a "weird, sick part" of Donnie who "likes another challenge," potentially setting up where he may go beyond the end of this movie:
"Man, I know he better handle it well. [I’m talking to you,] Gudegast [Laughs]. With Donny's life choice, Donny is forcing himself into quicksand at every opportunity, [and] every corner. He said it himself—it'll never stop. There's a weird, sick part of that guy who likes another challenge."
That does not necessarily mean the Den of Thieves franchise will never be heard from again going forward, just that Donnie and Nick are no longer palling around together (at least for now).
What Is Next for the Den of Thieves Franchise?
Despite Gerard Butler saying his Den of Thieves 2 character has called it "quits" by the end of the second film, there is always the chance that the character and franchise return at some point in the future.
According to Butler himself, he has thought about where the movie could go in a potential third Den of Thieves film, saying in an exclusive conversation with The Direct, "There's an idea [that has] just been pitched to me," but where/when Den of Thieves 3 may be seen has not been revealed:
"There's an idea [that has] just been pitched to me by Christian, and it's literally been one minute and thirty-second pitch, so I haven't had time to assimilate it because I'm too busy trying to get ready for this movie.
So I don't know. It sounds like it's a great adventure, and I'm scared to say anything if we don't go with this version. But it could involve Africa, and it's some really exciting stuff over there. I don't know enough about it to know what I could do with Nick...
I love working with [Christian], and Donnie by the way, I love working with O'Shea [Jackson]. I mean, it's just that you could feel it from the first movie, and now we get a chance to really spend time with each other. I love watching that he's just so talented; it is so fun to work with him. And I really feel what we did together is something unusual for a heist movie."
Den of Thieves 2 director Christian Gudegast also mentioned, he has material for "5, 6, 7 movies," and that "the third one is planned:"
"Yes. Initially, when I wrote the first one, it was always––I did so much research into heists, a lot of them all over the world, that we knew we had a franchise. We had material for 5, 6, 7 movies. The second one was always planned, the third one is planned. So it's almost looking at like a series, right? So, and the evolution of the characters and where they go next, what happens with them? And so, yes, it is all mapped out."
Even though Butler's Nick and Jackson's Donnie have split up for now, a third movie could see the two characters forced to work together one more time, or maybe even have them at odds with one another in a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse.
Sadly, a Den of Thieves 3 has not been officially announced, so fans will have to wait for that before getting excited for another chapter in this epic crime saga.
Den of Thieves 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
