Summary
- Gerard Butler is reuniting with his Den of Thieves director for the action-thriller Empire State.
- Butler's firefighter character teams up with an NYPD officer to save hostages from a vengeful military contractor.
- Get ready for a comedic twist in this upcoming high-octane movie.
Gerard Butler is in talks to reunite with his Den of Thieves director for Empire State, an action-thriller about an attack on the famed New York City landmark. Christian Gudegast’s 2018 thriller starred Butler as an L.A. County sheriff looking to stop a gang of ex-Marines from robbing the Federal Reserve. The action-packed movie proved to be a hit with audiences, grossing $80 million on a budget of $30 million, prompting talk of a Den of Thieves sequel.
That Den of Thieves follow-up has yet to hit theaters, but Butler and Gudegast are already teaming up again, as they’re reportedly joining forces for Empire State, an action-thriller about a vengeful military contractor launching an attack on NYC’s iconic Empire State Building. Butler would play Rhett, a one-time Navy SEAL now serving as a firefighter, who is tasked with rescuing hostages alongside NYPD Tactical officer Dani (as yet uncast), with whom he’s having relationship troubles. S. Craig Zahler and Brian Tucker penned the script (via Deadline).
Empire State Continues Butler And Gudegast's Successful Teaming
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was announced to be in the works shortly after the release of the first film, with stars Butler and O’Shea Jackson both returning. It was later reported that the film was set to begin shooting in late 2022, but that was pushed back. As of last report, the movie was in post-production and was targeting a release window of 2024.
But Butler and Gudegast's successful filmmaking collaboration goes beyond their 2018 team-up and its upcoming sequel. Gudegast penned the script for Butler's vehicle London Has Fallen, which went on to gross $205 million. He also served as an executive producer on Butler's 2023 action film Plane, which grossed $74 million, and is itself set for a sequel, amusingly titled Ship.
Den of Thieves is available to watch on Hulu
The announcement that Butler and Gudegast are joining forces for Empire State should come as no surprise given their prior record of making profitable action films together. The sequel to Den of Thieves is not even in theaters yet, but the film's star and director are wasting no time going back to work together, with New York City's most famous skyscraper serving as an iconic backdrop.
Source: Deadline