Thieves' Den - Christian Gudegast's Transition from Screenwriting to Movie Director Debut
The highly anticipated film, Den of Thieves, produced by Mark Canton, Tucker Tooley, Gerard Butler, and Alan Siegel, first entered production in 2018, contrary to rumours of earlier production dates. The filmmakers have been stalwart advocates for the project, with Tooley and Canton coming on board in 2006 and 2008 respectively.
At the heart of Den of Thieves is a cat-and-mouse game between two formidable forces. On one side, we have The Outlaws, led by Ray Merriman (played by Pablo Schreiber), a group of bank robbers who operate with military precision, meticulous planning, and subject matter expertise. They are not your ordinary bank robbers. Los Angeles becomes a giant chessboard for their game, with the city serving as the backdrop for an escalating confrontation.
On the other side, we have The Regulators, led by 'Big Nick' O'Brien (portrayed by Gerard Butler). The Regulators are a hard-drinking career detective unit that operates in unconventional ways to bring down the most elusive and dangerous criminals. Butler's take on 'Big Nick' is bombastic, living in a world where one has to be willing to go to any length to get ahead.
The origins of the film can be traced back to 2002, when screenwriter Christian Gudegast was inspired by a nonfiction book and a photo in the Los Angeles Times. Gudegast, who has written for every major film studio and television network in Hollywood, has penned major releases such as Speed Racer, The Rundown, A Man Apart, Immortals, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gudegast's performance as Merriman, played by Schreiber, is controlled, subdued even, with a real nihilism to the character. Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson gives a quietly intense performance as Merriman's right-hand man, Enson Levoux.
Butler read the script for Den of Thieves after being urged by his agent and expressed an interest in portraying 'Big Nick' O'Brien early on. Butler and Gudegast met over numerous dinners to mold 'Big Nick' into the silverback gorilla who devours everything within reach, a force that takes over the environment.
Director Christian Gudegast, born and raised in Los Angeles, has tremendous faith in what moviegoers will experience when they see Den of Thieves. The film is a character-driven narrative that reimagines the traditional heist film, focusing on an elite crew of bank robbers and the hardscrabble gang unit of the L.A. Sheriff's department working to bring them to justice.
Den of Thieves is a testament to the power of a well-crafted script and the vision of its creators. With its dynamic characters, intense action, and gripping storyline, it promises to be a film that will captivate audiences.
