The eagerly awaited sequel to Den of Thieves is making history in action movies with the first-ever all-electric car chase. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, starring Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr., includes a fast chase through the streets of Antwerp, highlighting the Porsche Taycan Turbo S in an important robbery scene.
Writer and director Christian Gudegast aimed to make the movie more exciting by combining new technology with traditional heist thriller elements. The story follows Nick (Butler), a former Los Angeles cop, who tracks master thief Donnie (Jackson Jr.) to Europe. Their confrontation leads to an intricate plan to invade Antwerp’s World Diamond Center and steal a rare pink diamond.
The electric car chase was a key part of the movie and created special challenges for the production team. The ambitious sequence was brought to life by cinematographer Terry Stacey, who provided insights. “The Porsche Taycan was great for the quick, quiet, and small task,” Stacey said. The crew changed some vehicles to get the shots they wanted, turning two Porsches into “go-karts.” The actors were free to perform inside the vehicles because these allowed stunt drivers to handle the cars remotely from the roof.
The team used advanced camera technology. A Sony Rialto system was used to take interesting views of the cars inside and out. This system separates the camera’s body from its lens and sensor. “We stayed away from green screens because a lot of the action takes place in real locations,” Stacey said, highlighting the use of realistic effects in the production.
Filming the sequence, which took a full week, required a combination of advanced methods. Backward-driving scenes were filmed using a “biscuit rig,” a platform that allows precise driving while the camera rolls. While most effects were created on camera, some scenes, like a windshield breaking during a crash, were improved with computer-generated images (CGI). Intricate tunnel stunts were carefully planned.
The main part of the sequence is an exciting chase on a mountain road, combining real stunts with some special effects. “Stacey said, ‘We had one camera in the car while the stunt actor pretended to go off a cliff.'” The team used both cams on vehicles and computer-generated imagery to create an exciting ending.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera takes action movies to a new level and shows how to use eco-friendly technology in exciting films. By seamlessly integrating electric vehicles into the story, the film signals a change in how future action sequences could be conceived and performed.
