Den of Thieves (film)

Den of Thieves is an exciting action crime film from 2018. It was written and directed by Christian Gudegast and stars actors like Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, and Curtis Jackson. The story follows a group of police officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who work hard to stop a team of thieves. These thieves are former Marines with special training, and they are planning a big heist to rob the Federal Reserve in Los Angeles.

The film was made by STXfilms and came out in the United States on January 19, 2018. People had mixed feelings about the movie, but it was seen around the world and made $80 million. Later, a sequel called Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was released on January 10, 2025 by Lionsgate Films.

Plot

In Los Angeles, a group of former Marines led by Ray Merrimen steal an armored truck and escape after a shootout with police. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Detective Nick "Big Nick" O'Brien and his team, the Major Crimes Unit, investigate the robbery and suspect Merrimen.

Merrimen's team plans to rob the Federal Reserve, aiming to steal old money that is removed from circulation each day. They use a trick to get inside and take the money. During their plan, they take people hostage at a bank but manage to escape through the sewers.

In the end, Nick discovers that Donnie, the bartender, was actually the mastermind behind the robbery. Donnie tricked Merrimen and his team and has already moved the stolen money to a safe place far away.

Cast

This action movie features many talented actors. Gerard Butler plays Detective Nick "Big Nick" O'Brien, a determined officer from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who is trying to stop a group of thieves. Pablo Schreiber is Ray Merrimen, a former Marine and the leader of the thieves, who plans to rob the Federal Reserve Bank in Los Angeles.

Other actors include O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Donnie Wilson, a skilled driver and former Marine, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as Enson Levoux, another former Marine involved in the robbery. The cast also includes Evan Jones, Mo McRae, and Dawn Olivieri, among others, all playing important roles in this exciting story.

Production

The movie was being planned for about 14 years. Director Christian Gudegast and his writing partner had an agreement with New Line Cinema back in 2003. At one time, Peter Berg was going to direct it, and they even thought about making it as a TV show. Later, Relativity Media was supposed to share the movie. Jay Dobyns, who acted as a character named Wolfgang, was a former special agent and helped give advice for the film.

Filming started in January 2017. The director of photography, Terry Stacey, used the Arri Alexa XT Plus camera to film. Even though the story happens in Los Angeles, California, most of the movie was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia. Some aerial shots showed places like the Vincent Thomas Bridge, the Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island, and the sky of Downtown Los Angeles.

Reception

Box office

Den of Thieves made $44.9 million in the United States and Canada and $35.7 million in other countries, totaling $80.5 million worldwide. The movie cost $30 million to make.

When Den of Thieves came out in the United States and Canada on January 19, 2018, it was shown in 2,432 theaters. It was expected to make $7–10 million in its first weekend but surprised everyone by making $15.3 million, finishing third at the box office. In the following weeks, its earnings dropped but still did well.

Critical response

On the website Rotten Tomatoes, 42% of 136 reviews were positive, giving the movie an average rating of 5.1 out of 10. The site said the movie tried hard to copy classic heist movies but didn’t quite match them. Metacritic gave it a score of 49 out of 100 based on 24 reviews, meaning mixed or average reviews. People who watched the movie gave it an average grade of "B+" on a scale from A+ to F.

Sequel

Main article: Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

In February 2018, it was announced that a sequel to the film was being made. The same writer and director would return, and some of the original actors were talking about coming back too. The movie was originally set to come out in late 2024, but after some changes in companies, it was finally released on January 10, 2025.