Gerard Butler’s beloved crime thriller, which is filled with intense shootouts and action sequences, is currently blasting up the free streaming charts. Since Zack Snyder’s 300, Gerard Butler has been a prominent figure in the action genre. The Greek epic led him to roles in the likes of Law Abiding Citizen, Hunter Killer, Olympus Has Fallen, Machine Gun Preacher, and many more. But it’s one of Butler’s more recent action thrillers, which recently received a sequel, that viewers are obsessed with on free streaming. Some even claim it’s better than Michael Mann’s seminal Heat! We’re talking about none other than Den of Thieves.
Den of Thieves is currently streaming for free on Tubi. In fact, the film is currently the second most popular movie on the platform. First place is currently held by the BET+ original film, Call Her King. Released in 2018, Den of Thieves was directed by Christian Gudegast, who returned for the 2025 sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. The film was an intense game of cat and mouse between the elite deputies of the LA County Sheriff’s office and an expert crew of thieves planning a heist on the Federal Reserve Bank. The official synopsis reads:
“Nick O’Brien is the hard-drinking leader of the Regulators, an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Ray Merrimen is the recently paroled leader of the Outlaws, a gang of ex-military men who use their expertise and tactical skills to evade the law. O’Brien, Merrimen, and their crews soon find themselves on a direct collision course as the criminals hatch an elaborate plan for a seemingly impossible heist — the city’s Federal Reserve Bank.”
Den of Thieves is a firm fan favorite among Gerard Butler’s filmography. Despite its low Rotten Tomatoes score of 42%, the film holds a far stronger audience rating of 63%. It certainly has its haters, but those who enjoyed Den of Thieves hold it in very high regard. “In time, critics will come around and hail this film as a bona fide classic,” wrote one user on RT, while another said, “Den of Thieves is a great movie. Reminds me of Heat, but better… I guess I’m just always going against the critics on this site now.”
‘Den of Thieves’ Is Getting a Trilogy
As much as Den of Thieves is a fan favorite, it’s far from Butler’s most successful action franchise. It came as a surprise to many when the sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, was released in 2025. The original film didn’t exactly break the bank at the box office, grossing just over $80 million. The sequel accumulated even less, earning over $58 million worldwide.
But, despite its limited box office draw, Nick O’Brien will be returning for one more outing. In January of this year, it was confirmed that Butler will return for a third film in the franchise. Currently titled Den of Thieves 3, the film doesn’t yet have a release date.
- Release Date
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January 19, 2018
- Runtime
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140 minutes
- Director
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Christian Gudegast
- Producers
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Gerard Butler, Mark Canton, Tony Grazia, Tucker Tooley, Alan Siegel
