Gerard Butler’s name has become synonymous over the years for his presence in the action film genre. He acquired worldwide recognition in 2007 for his role of King Leonidas in 300, which earned him much acclaim. Butler has since been in films like Olympus Has Fallen, Gods of Egypt, and Geostorm. Meanwhile, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is most known for his music career, but has spent over a decade working as an actor. He has appeared in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Starz’s Power, and Righteous Kill. Both actors will be starring in the new film, Den of Thieves, which was released in theaters on January 19, 2018.

Screen Rant got a chance to chat with Gerard Butler and 50 Cent on press day, where we discussed how 50 Cent got involved with the project, how the cops and the criminals in the film interact with one another, and what projects we have to look forward to next.

SR: This is a fun fun heist movie. It’s really gritty too. I heard that you read the script six years ago and you’ve been circling it for a while.

SR: And that you had a little bit of a rivalry with this guy. Is that true?

50 Cent: Yeah.

SR: No rivalry.

50 Cent: No rivalry.

SR: Love the twists and turns in this film and I love the, it reminds me of Heist but like grittier, or I mean…

50 Cent: You know what it was? He actually had the script at that point and I just got a chance to read it. And then I met Christian and I ran into Tucker and it was at Relativity at the time so I spoke to Tucker about it, and then it was just random like, I brought up the idea of working on a project, and later it came around full circle and six years later they came to make it and I was like oh yeah I want to do that, I want to be in that.

Gerard Butler: Yeah and it wasn’t rivalry. The second I heard that he was interested in being involved literally I was, you know Christian said ‘by the way Fifty really wants to do the movie  and play Enson.’ And I’m like’ no he doesn’t.’ And he goes, ‘no he does.’ I go ‘come on.’ Add he goes ‘dude, he loves it, he really wants in.’ So it was always different roles, but the second I knew he wanted to be involved, and then when I heard O’Shea Jackson wanted to be involved, then you go we got a movie, you know, we have a movie we know is going to be a great. We have a great  script and you start to see it all come together and you think we got we got a pumping, fun, like you said gritty movie full of twists and turns.

SR: Yeah, Heat not Heist.

50 Cent: Heat.

SR: And it gives you that feel. Now I have a question, in this film you guys obviously play on both sides a lot here and it seems like they, the cops and the criminals both have this mutual respect for each other. Can you guys let’s talk about that a little bit?

50 Cent: Yeah yeah.

SR: Right.

50 Cent: Well this is a more advanced group of criminals like because of their military experience they’re able to map things out, go in and do exactly as planned and it allows them to get away with more. So there’s like five other other jobs that they are already aware that we would be the guys that got away with or did it because of the timelines or availability when when the Merman is in jail versus when he’s free and on the streets. So that makes a more sophisticated batch of law enforcement.

Gerard Butler: You see it like, these are great artists, great warriors, and when they step onto the battlefield they’re very aware who they’re up against and they need that.

SR: Now you guys got other things coming out this year which I’m really excited about. How to Train Your Dragon 3.

Gerard Butler: You know?  So when I realize or when my guys realize that these may be the guys that have taken down all these banks we go ‘oh they’re good, and they’re really going to bring our game up ,and this is what it’s all about.’ And the same with them, they go ‘you know what we messed up a little and now we have these guys on our asses, and they’re the guys that we don’t want coming after us.’ And then the game is on. Then it’s these two tribes and they’re going to war and there’s an inevitability to it. It’s going down.

SR: And you got The Escape Plan which I’m really excited about. What can you guys tell me about those projects?

Gerard Butler: Oh yeah.

SR: Pheeeew

50 Cent: Man, Escape Plan, I’m Interested in seeing how it actually performs. Not to speak bad to it because it actually did four times a well as it did in America in China because Stallone is like big internationally and they found out when they were out when we were out there that I’m like, I’m big. [flexes] So you know I had to come back and do my thing. But you know, that one is an exciting project and I play, like a computer specialist.

Gerard Butler: I actually have five movies coming out.

SR: Yeah.

Gerard Butler: So I have How to Train Your Dragon, which I just did my bit on and it’s so beautiful I think it might be the best of the lot. I did a little psychological thriller in Scotland called Keepers. I have Hunter Killer, a submarine movie coming out which is phenomenal. And then I’m about to make the next Has Fallen.

MORE: O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Pablo Schreiber Den of Thieves Interview

Gerard Butler: Which is more like The Fugitive. It’s our version of Logan, what that was to Wolverine, that’s to this. It’s  a lot of city falling, and even we were like ‘how many cities can we have fall?’ So it’s it’s going to be really surprising and visceral and we have a great director on that too Ric Waugh, who just did that movie Shot Caller with Jonny Bernthal. And you know I did a cameo with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr and Benicio del Toro in this a comedy called All-Star Weekend and it’s ohhhh.

50 Cent: Oh yeah, that one. It’s gonna be good.

Gerard Butler: It’s funny.

  • Den of Thieves Release Date: 2018-01-19