Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Den of Thieves 2!The plot of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera brings Donnie and Big Nick together for a diamond heist, resulting in a very different sequel than the original movie seemed to set up. The original 2018 movie left the door open for a sequel that would move the heist franchise into international territories with diamonds as the prize instead of cold, hard cash. This was done as Den of Thieves‘ ending showed Donnie in London working as a bartender and questioning a local patron about his job at a diamond exchange.

Upon first glance, Den of Thieves 2 mostly builds on the fundamental premise suggested to come next. Even if Donnie and Nick’s team-up was not foreshadowed, the sequel is set in Europe and revolves around a diamond heist. The suggestion was that Den of Thieves 2 would see Big Nick track down Donnie and attempt to foil his plans to rob the diamond exchange. The main events that unfold around Den of Thieves 2‘s ending and the big heist might seem to deliver on the sequel setup, but the franchise actually went in a different direction.

Den Of Thieves’ Ending Set Up A Different Heist Than Den Of Thieves 2 Focused On

The differences between what Den of Thieves set up and the actual heist Donnie and Nick are part of in Den of Thieves 2 come down to specific details. Yes, the sequel is set aboard and focused on a diamond heist, but the other details are wrong. The first film positioned the sequel to be set in London as Donnie and his crew work to steal diamonds from the local diamond exchange. In reality, Den of Thieves 2 makes the World Diamond Center in Belgium the story’s core. That means there’s a different target and location than initially suggested.

The evolution of the story could be tied to why Den of Thieves 2 took so long to make. The film was hit with various production issues, so altering the location of the film may have been tied to this. Furthermore, having Donnie, Nick, and the Panthers rob the World Diamond Center presents a much bigger scale for the film than a diamond exchange shop in London. Den of Thieves 2 benefits from this switch-up, as it allows for a more complex story and a chance to have a grander setting, as well as take cues from a true story.

Den Of Thieves 2 May Have Still Shown Donnie’s Previous Planned Heist

Den Of Thieves 2’s Opening Heist May Be The Original Plan

There is a chance that Donnie’s original diamond heist he’s planning at the end of Den of Thieves is still included in the sequel. Instead of being the main focus of the second film, it appears that it might have been boiled down to the opening scene. Den of Thieves 2 opens with Donnie and the Panthers stealing a diamond from a plane. Since the crew moves on to work on a new plan afterward, which is for the World Diamond Center, it would seem that this was the target Donnie had in mind in Den of Thieves‘ conclusion.

Den of Thieves 2 would get the best of both worlds in this situation. The sequel would still pay off a heist that the first film set up, but it also had the ability to go bigger for the main story. That’s an intriguing possibility when considering what could happen in Den of Thieves 3 and how Den of Thieves 2: Pantera‘s set up for future installments could shift throughout the franchise’s development.