Butler and Jackson are back for another ride, upping the story, the thrills, and the laughs.
The film co-stars Kurdish actressEvin Ahmad(Who Is Erin Carter?)
and Italian actorSalvatore Esposito(Fargo).
Image via Toho
What Do Gerard Butler and OShea Jackson, Jr. OSHEA JACKSON JR: Steve, you monster!
Good to see you.
COLLIDER: Nice to see you, sir.
If it’s possible for you to’t tell, this is not a matte painting behind me.
I’m actually in Brazil at CCXP, which is a huge Comic-Con.
I like throwing curveballs in my interviews, as you maybe both know.
Image via Lionsgate
Is there anything that you collect or used to collect?
That’s a big thing at Comic-Con.
JACKSON: Oh my God.
Image via Lionsgate
You know damn well, bro Godzillamerch.
Because of my man,Chris Mirjahangir, bro, I get all the merch I could possibly get.
DefinitelyGodzillastuff, all bang out of nerd culture.
Image via Lionsgate
Steve, stop acting like you don’t know me, bro.
What is this question?
This is also aimed at Gerard.
Big Nick is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie, who is embroiled in the treacherous world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.
I don’t actually know what he collects.
Also, let’s be honest, dude, you might have a few sports collectibles.
JACKSON: Oh yeah, I got a couple of Kobe memorabilia and things like that.
Big3 merch, of course.
GERARD BUTLER: No, I don’t have much in the way of merch.
But that shit doesn’t work in America.
I have a lot of coins, naval coins.
I feel like I have enough to fill up the Federal Reserve of naval coins and stuff like that.
But no, I’m not really a big merch guy.
JACKSON: For sure,Baywatch.
They just seemed like they were having such a good time.
Oh my God, I don’t know.
Preferably [Godzilla vs.]Gigan.
Was Den of Thieves Always Going to Have a Sequel?
“You never want to put yourself into a bubble.”
How much did he say that to you guys when you were making it?
BUTLER: I think he’s lying.
I actually think Christian is lying.
I don’t believe there was any thought to making a second movie.
I think it was just a great script that we had.
What about a second one?"
I don’t think we were talking about a second one when we were making it.
All of our ideas are perfect in our minds, but the execution is what’s important.
We’re grateful for the fan support, and we like to leave things open just in case.
The film’s plot involves the Mafia taking on terrorists.
You guys are really good together.
In the first movie, you’re not really together.
What was it like actually working together?
Does each of you work in a certain way that is similar to the other person or radically different?
JACKSON: This time going around, it was definitely refreshing.
We started to realize we both like having a good time, even though our job can besoserious.
It helps with morale, and great morale makes great movies in my book.
I liked what he was doing.
Then getting a chance to come together at a differentlevel.We were improvising a bunch.
Just us being together, you knew there was gonna be some fun stuff coming in that chemistry.
JACKSON: It’s a lot of planning.
There’s obviously some growing that has to happen.
Like everything, repetition finds perfection.
Going into those scenes, number one: the stunts.
The stunt team has to be right.
You gotta trust each other.
You gotta trust each other, and you’ll find that gold.
JACKSON: Just do it.
JACKSON: [Laughs] I like that.
We were moving fast.
We were wearing costumes that were very difficult to breathe in.
Sometimes, as we started a scene, my heart was stillracingfrom finishing the last scene.
I’m like, “This is getting bloody dangerous.”
Then those hairpin bends.
There’s a point where we arenotgoing to stick to that road.
“And we did!
It was incredible, but it didn’t feel like that.
It felt very on the edge of control, which is actually perfect.
If you make it, and then it’s in the movie, it’s perfect.
JACKSON: Shows up great on camera.
[Laughs]
What Does It Really Take to Pull Off Blockbuster Actions?
Wow, I just got hit by a train.
People have no idea.
And as an actor, you’re like, Shut up.
But yeah, it beats you up.
Then, once you think you got it, we’re probably going to do it 11 more times.
[Laughs]
BUTLER: Eleven!?
They go, Okay, 9 a.m., you could have a coffee.Next scene!Let’s go.
You’re like, “Now we’re going to the wall.
Now it’s the wall.
Now, it’s the elevator shaft.
Now we’re in the room.
Now we’re in the car.”
You gotta be calm.
[Laughs]
Den of Thieves 2: Panteraraces into theaters on Friday, January 10.
