20 Movie Sequels That Took WAY Too Long

6. Den of Thieves: Pantera

2018's Gerard Butler-starring crime thriller Den of Thieves was a modest box office success and, despite mixed critical reviews, became a bit of a cult hit on home video, largely thanks to its complimentary "we have Heat at home" vibes.

The film's twist ending cued up an easy sequel, and though writer-director Christian Gudegast confirmed it would be happening just a month after the original's release, shooting ended up being delayed for several years.

This was for a few reasons - first and foremost the impact of the pandemic, and also the conflicting schedules of stars Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr.

By the time Den of Thieves 2: Pantera finally came out in January 2025, an entire seven years had passed, which while a mere blip compared to many films on this list, is an absolute age for a sequel to a relatively low-key, mid-budget genre film.

It wasn't terribly surprising, then, that the sequel grossed considerably less than its predecessor on a bigger budget, and though Lionsgate has already greenlit a planned threequel, who knows when-and-if we might actually see it?