This is one of Gerrard Butler’s best action sagas… is there a 3rd movie planned?

The Criminal Squad franchise is back after seven hard years with Criminal Squad: Pantera in theaters now. But beware, it’s not the end yet: filmmaker Christian Gudegast thinks the third installment will arrive sooner than expected…

Sometimes you have to be patient in Hollywood. Released in 2018 criminal squadStarring Gerard Butler, Oshie Jackson Jr. and Pablo Schreiber, it took 15 years to reach the big screen, overcoming the bankruptcy of Relatively Media and other obstacles along the way. Despite mixed reviews, the project was a modest success at the box office, grossing over $80 million on a $30 million budget. However, the action-heist film gained popularity in the domestic market and a particularly active fan base on social media.

Christian GudegastIts director is more than appreciative of this audience, even though the sequel was already in the works before fans got their hands on the film.

The development of the second installment, which hit our screens on January 8, actually began in February 2018. And while production was supposed to begin in 2020, the pandemic delayed the film. Then, in February 2022, they had to re-shoot due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, affecting their locations in Croatia and Serbia. They later moved to France, but this proved financially prohibitive, before finally settling in Tenerife, Spain.

But despite all these obstacles, Crime Squad: Panther Now showing in theaters nearly seven years after the original film was released. The story moves forward two years, and “Big Nick” (Gerard Butler) still controls the level of criminal theft (Oshie Jackson Jr.) abroad. But Gudegast now goes further and turns Big Nick into a gangster too, trying to get rich. Together, the shady duo plan to rob the World Diamond Center in Nice, France.

If all goes well for this second opus, the director is already gearing up for the third sequel: “ already planned. already done. We are ready to goGudegast said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “We are very pleased with it.“

What can we talk about? Spoiler alert, if you haven’t seen part two, I suggest you stop reading here.

at the end PantherDonnie escapes from prison with the help of Big Nick and mobster “Octopus” (Adriano Chiarramida), who hires him to thank him for returning the diamond. Big Nick then goes back to his job as a police officer. But the ending requires Don’s future to continue…

In anticipation of that promised third opus, Criminal Squad: Panther is still here L’Showing at your nearest cinema.