Den Of Thieves Almost Became A TV Show Instead Of A Film Franchise [Exclusive]

It is extraordinarily early within the 12 months, however I think about it will likely be robust for an additional 2025 film title to come back alongside that is extra steel than “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.” But when this grungy, pulpy franchise had gone a barely totally different approach throughout growth, we might have been disadvantaged of that title — and certainly, the “Den of Thieves” motion pictures of their entirety. As an alternative, we got here very near getting a “Den of Thieves” TV sequence.

“After I did my analysis for ‘Den 1’ again within the day, I simply got here throughout so many various heists and I acquired to know the cops that have been investigating them, and I simply had a lot materials that we knew that we have been going to be constructing a franchise,” author/director Christian Gudegast informed me in a latest interview. “There was a minute approach again within the day the place it was going to grow to be a TV sequence. So I mapped out longer for the arcs of [Gerard Butler], who performs Nick, after which O’Shea [Jackson Jr.], who performs Donnie, their arcs and different heists around the globe. So it was sort of deliberate out from the outset.”

This was the primary time I might heard in regards to the chance that this might have grow to be a sequence, however Gudegast stated the “temporary second” when it may have occurred was the results of trade traits on the time:

“It was written as a function, and there was only a second the place, at the moment, they have been taking function scripts and turning them into tv sequence. That occurred with one other mission I used to be engaged on. In different phrases, I had a lot materials that it could’ve been simple to do, however then we ended up making the film and right here we’re.”

I loved the grimy sweatiness of the first “Den of Thieves,” and whereas I did not just like the sequel fairly as a lot, the follow-up’s climactic heist is a splendidly executed piece of process-driven cinema, taking us step-by-step via an elaborate theft of the World Diamond Heart. Every heist is, within the author/director’s phrases, “a really, very shut illustration” of 1 that occurred in the true world, and all of that deep analysis has paid off. For me, the robberies are the spotlight of those motion pictures as a result of Gudegast levels them in a approach that feels instant and visceral.

It is easy to think about what a “Den of Thieves” TV present might need appeared like, with every massive heist serving because the fruits of a season of tv, however I for one am grateful they ended up as motion pictures. The connection between Butler’s Massive Nick and Jackson’s Donnie is an important a part of these tales, however thus far, it hasn’t hit the magnetic stage of one thing like Johnny Utah and Bodhi in “Level Break” or Brian O’Connor and Dom Toretto in “The Fast and the Furious.” Having many extra hours to discover that relationship in a present may have been rewarding, however there’s simply nearly as good an opportunity that the TV format may weigh this entire factor down and surrounded it with the surplus and bloat that overtakes so many fashionable TV reveals. I might a lot slightly have a brand new film each few years that has the potential to really feel particular than one other present that overstays its welcome as a result of the algorithm calls for it’s ten episodes as a substitute of six.

You possibly can hear my full interview with Gudegast on right now’s episode of the /Movie Each day podcast:

You possibly can subscribe to /Movie Each day on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and ship your suggestions, questions, feedback, issues, and mailbag matters to us at bpearson@slashfilm.com. Please depart your identify and basic geographic location in case we point out your e-mail on the air.

It is extraordinarily early within the 12 months, however I think about it will likely be robust for an additional 2025 film title to come back alongside that is extra steel than “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.” But when this grungy, pulpy franchise had gone a barely totally different approach throughout growth, we might have been disadvantaged of that title — and certainly, the “Den of Thieves” motion pictures of their entirety. As an alternative, we got here very near getting a “Den of Thieves” TV sequence.

“After I did my analysis for ‘Den 1’ again within the day, I simply got here throughout so many various heists and I acquired to know the cops that have been investigating them, and I simply had a lot materials that we knew that we have been going to be constructing a franchise,” author/director Christian Gudegast informed me in a latest interview. “There was a minute approach again within the day the place it was going to grow to be a TV sequence. So I mapped out longer for the arcs of [Gerard Butler], who performs Nick, after which O’Shea [Jackson Jr.], who performs Donnie, their arcs and different heists around the globe. So it was sort of deliberate out from the outset.”

This was the primary time I might heard in regards to the chance that this might have grow to be a sequence, however Gudegast stated the “temporary second” when it may have occurred was the results of trade traits on the time:

“It was written as a function, and there was only a second the place, at the moment, they have been taking function scripts and turning them into tv sequence. That occurred with one other mission I used to be engaged on. In different phrases, I had a lot materials that it could’ve been simple to do, however then we ended up making the film and right here we’re.”

I loved the grimy sweatiness of the first “Den of Thieves,” and whereas I did not just like the sequel fairly as a lot, the follow-up’s climactic heist is a splendidly executed piece of process-driven cinema, taking us step-by-step via an elaborate theft of the World Diamond Heart. Every heist is, within the author/director’s phrases, “a really, very shut illustration” of 1 that occurred in the true world, and all of that deep analysis has paid off. For me, the robberies are the spotlight of those motion pictures as a result of Gudegast levels them in a approach that feels instant and visceral.

It is easy to think about what a “Den of Thieves” TV present might need appeared like, with every massive heist serving because the fruits of a season of tv, however I for one am grateful they ended up as motion pictures. The connection between Butler’s Massive Nick and Jackson’s Donnie is an important a part of these tales, however thus far, it hasn’t hit the magnetic stage of one thing like Johnny Utah and Bodhi in “Level Break” or Brian O’Connor and Dom Toretto in “The Fast and the Furious.” Having many extra hours to discover that relationship in a present may have been rewarding, however there’s simply nearly as good an opportunity that the TV format may weigh this entire factor down and surrounded it with the surplus and bloat that overtakes so many fashionable TV reveals. I might a lot slightly have a brand new film each few years that has the potential to really feel particular than one other present that overstays its welcome as a result of the algorithm calls for it’s ten episodes as a substitute of six.

You possibly can hear my full interview with Gudegast on right now’s episode of the /Movie Each day podcast:

You possibly can subscribe to /Movie Each day on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and ship your suggestions, questions, feedback, issues, and mailbag matters to us at bpearson@slashfilm.com. Please depart your identify and basic geographic location in case we point out your e-mail on the air.