If you enjoyed the high-powered 2018 action drama, Den of Thieves, you were likely one of the millions who flocked to theaters on January 10 to experience its long-awaited sequel. In the first film, we met a crew of ex-Marines turned hijackers, run by ringleader Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber). The men rob an armored truck, though things go terribly wrong, resulting in a wild police shootout. Soon enough, Detective Nick “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler), begins his quest to bring down the ring, starting with Ray. Meanwhile, the crew plots their redemption heist, targeting a Federal Reserve with unmarked cash. The men recruit another former marine, Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), as the getaway driver. Now working as a bartender, he uses his jobs and offshore accounts to cross the gang when they finally pull off the Reserve robbery. Nick busts the crew, leading to a violent confrontation, only to learn that Donnie is the true mastermind, who escaped with the funds.
Fast forward to Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, Donnie is still up to his old tricks, though he’s now living the good life in Europe, where the newest heists will occur. Much like the first installment, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was met with instant support. The movie debuted at number one at the box office with $15.5 million in its opening weekend. With even more high-powered drama and daring feats, this sequel left fans eager for more. Let’s dive into the Den of Thieves 2 ending explained. However, if you haven’t watched for yourself, be warned that jaw-dropping spoilers are on the way.
What is Donnie Up To?
We find the extremely intelligent Donnie with a new life in Europe and a new crew, known as Panther. Having outsmarted his U.S. theft group, he proves a valuable asset to the new crew leader, Jovanna (Evin Ahmad). They pull off a daring plot, stealing a red diamond from an airport hangar, along with useful top-secret files. Disguised as a SWAT team, this plan went off without a hitch, leading them to aim higher, setting their sights on the WDC, a diamond vault. Donnie plans to act as an executive to help him gain access and get past the extensive security.
As this plan is being birthed, high-ranking mafia members are plotting against Donnie. The red diamond belonged to them, and they are now determined to intercept his WDC plot. As both stories unfold, Nick will soon re-emerge with a shocking proposal and an unlikely connection to Donnie.
Nick Wants in on The Action
Elsewhere, back in the United States, Nick is going through a divorce while still setting his sights on Donnie. He tracks the meticulous criminal and seeks out Ray’s widow, Holly (Meadow Williams), to learn what else the thief was working on prior to Nick killing him in the first film. After learning of Donnie’s whereabouts, Nick travels to his home and breaks in. When Donnie returns, he is confronted by the frustrated law enforcement officer, who holds him at gunpoint. Nick then makes a shocking proposal: he wants to assist with the next heist. After convincing Donnie that he is no longer with the police force, Nick seemingly gains Donnie’s trust. The next day, Wilson introduces O’Brien to Jovanna and Chava (Nazmiye Oral), a new key player, who serves as a diamond expert for the operation. Despite the initial conflict, the Panthers agree to let Nick assist them.
During a welcome celebration of sorts, the Panthers take Donnie and Nick to a nightclub. While there, a mafia henchman fights Nick leading to them being kicked out of the club and the two men ultimately abducted by the mob. They are then transported to a boat, where they are held and interrogated about the red diamond stolen by Donnie. After being threatened in order to get the gem back, Nick and Donnie are tossed off the boat and forced to swim to shore. Nick becomes irate at Donnie after learning he’d stolen from mobsters. He reluctantly continues working with the Panthers
During a reconnaissance mission, Nick accompanies Donnie to survey the vault, acting as a security guard to Donnie. With the plan officially in motion, the Panthers use their knowledge from the survey to enter the WDC to recover the red diamond they are seeking, along with some cash, and make a daring escape. This risky move does not go off completely flawlessly, with Nick forced to make a few tough decisions.
How Does ‘Den of Thieves 2’ End?
The heist hits a snag when Nick faces challenges during the escape when the duffel bag containing his part of the score snaps due to its heavy weight. He barely avoids detection but successfully reunites with the Panthers. Nick, Wilson, and another Panther member, Slavko (Salvatore Esposito) transfer the money to Jovanna and head to meet a mafia boss to return the diamond. Terrifyingly, they are ambushed in traffic by other members of the powerful gang. After a heart-pounding chase, Nick forces one vehicle off a cliff, but mob members trap him, along with Donnie and Slavko. Believing their lives are about to end, the mafia’s boss’ arrive and kill their own men in order to successfully retrieve their diamond and allow the trio to escape.
After the high-stakes theft and near-death experience with the mafia, the Panthers escape to Italy, where they reunite to celebrate another profitable run. While there, Donnie senses something is wrong with Nick and his intuition is correct. Authorities storm the bar where the Panthers are gathered, and it is then that Donnie realizes Nick was an undercover officer all along. The smart crook is finally imprisoned, and Nick decides to face him about his sting operation. He admits that some aspects of his infiltrating the squad were authentic, though he is committed to his lawful duties. During Donnie’s transfer to a new correctional facility, he is shockingly at the center of an ambush, with mafia members granting him freedom if he agrees to work for them. His reputation as an expert in his field has afforded him a new opportunity, which Donnie quickly accepts. In the end, he texts Nick, letting him know that they will once again be reuniting. Nick appears happy with this outcome, as he smiles at the phone.
