Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. return to the screen in “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” four years after their successful first installment in this action-packed heist thriller series. The sequel, from Lionsgate, has generated $1.35 million during its Thursday previews at the box office, with estimates predicting an opening weekend haul of between $11 million and $13 million.
Competition looms from Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which, after its release in December, is expected to earn $12 million to $15 million in its fourth weekend. Following a strong start to the year with $23.4 million last weekend, “Mufasa” could find itself in second place if “Den of Thieves 2” performs as anticipated.
The first “Den of Thieves” film kicked off with $950,000 in Thursday previews before securing $15.2 million in its opening weekend, concluding its run with a remarkable $80 million in earnings. The sequel has a production budget of $40 million; however, Lionsgate has historically mitigated box office risks by selling the foreign rights to its films.
Directed once again by Christian Gudegast, “Den of Thieves 2” follows Butler’s character, Los Angeles police officer Big Nick, as he pursues Donnie (played by Jackson Jr.), who is plotting a diamond heist. The cast also features Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Meadow Williams, and Swem Temmel.
Additionally, the weekend will see the premiere of Paramount’s “Better Man,” a musical biopic about singer Robbie Williams, which is projected to earn around $2 million in its opening weekend.
Overall, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” is poised for a competitive box office debut and could be the start of another successful chapter in this thrilling franchise. The film promises to deliver the high-octane excitement fans have come to expect while also introducing new elements that could resonate well with audiences.