Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. on their platonic love story in 'Den of Thieves 2: Pantera'

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is now out in theaters, reuniting Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr.. We last saw the duo in the first 2018 action-heist hit, with the sequel picking up in Europe’s dangerous diamond underworld. It's a nonstop thrill ride and one of the best crime heist films of the decade. But among the explosions, chases, bullets, and blood is a love story between the stars. 

In an exclusive interview with HOLA! USA when I pointed out their "platonic love story” it struck a chord with Butler. “I love that you said it’s a platonic love story,” he says. “When I read her production notes in my EPK interview, I said it’s a love story. But when you just get quoted as saying it’s a love story, and they leave it at that, when you read it back, you go, ‘Oh my God, that sounds weird.’ So I haven’t brought it up again, and this is our third day of press. You reminded me that that’s exactly how I saw it.”

He elaborated on the emotional depth of their relationship. “It is kind of a love story. It was a big thing when I was working with Christian about this that it felt like we could really go, ‘Yeah, we can have a heist movie, and the heist is great—a lot of fun action—but if we go deep with us...’ There’s trouble in love. There’s trouble in bonding. There’s a lack of trust. Things go wrong. You have my back—do you really? Who’s on whose side? I’m still pissed off about what happened before. All of that is going on, so there’s a lot of emotion. And you never know where it’s gonna go, but there’s a depth and a feeling to that, that by the time you get to the end of the movie, whichever way it goes, you do go, ‘Wow, that was a journey.’”

For Jackson, the evolution of their on-screen relationship mirrored their off-screen dynamic. “Getting to know Gerard more with this one because, in the first one, the director Christian kept us separate, so like the times when we were together, it was that intensity there,” Jackson recalls. “But now, with us teaming up, we ended up neighbors," he laughs, adding, “Yeah, so it was great to kind of pick his brain a little bit, get to know him as a person, and our chemistry shined through.”

Reflecting on his character, Butler noted the changes Big Nick undergoes in Pantera. “There’s more of a depth to Big Nick in this. The whole movie goes kind of deeper. We got through a lot of the heaviness in the first movie—kids lost, relationships—and that was kind of out of the way, and we could commit more to this. Big Nick’s been humbled a little bit. He’s not quite as cocky as he was, which allows there to be more color, more receiving, and more giving, rather than just a bull in a china shop, which he was in the first.”

Jackson, stepping into his first sequel, shared advice from his famous father, Ice Cube. “He was just like, ‘Just stay true to yourself and keep pushing forward, and don’t let them make you look like a sucker.’”

With action-packed sequences and deeper character arcs, Den of Thieves: Pantera promises a thrilling ride that’s as emotionally charged as it is explosive. Whether you’re here for the heist or the heartfelt moments, Butler and Jackson’s dynamic ensures this sequel is one you won’t want to miss.