How ‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’ Pulled Off Its Climactic Chase Using Electric Cars

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“Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” features the world’s first electric car chase. 

When Christian Gudegast, both writer and director, contemplated the sequel, he was determined to escalate the tension. He thought an exhilarating, high-speed car chase filled with intense gunfights would be perfect for this purpose. To make it truly captivating, he aimed to make it appear swift and authentic.

In the following story, Gerard Butler reprises his role as Nick, a Los Angeles police officer on a mission to capture notorious thief Donnie (played by O’Shea Jackson Jr.). A robbery incident in Antwerp, Belgium sets off Nick’s investigation, leading him to Europe where he locates Donnie. Upon arrival, Nick discloses his intention to quit the force and team up with Donnie for a daring diamond heist – targeting the World Diamond Center and making off with the pink diamond. The narrative is filled with gunfights, high-octane stunts, but it’s the Porsche Taycan Turbo S that ties it all together.

Donnie, Nick, and their team found the Porsche Taycan Turbo ideal for slipping in and out of the Diamond Center unnoticed, thanks to its blend of speed and stealth. However, their exit soon turned into a high-speed chase as they were pursued by rival mafia members trying to intercept the heist. This chase ensued through tunnels and along treacherous mountain roads.

The Taycan Turbo was just what Donnie, Nick, and their crew needed for a secretive entrance and exit from the Diamond Center. With its combination of swiftness and quiet operation, they managed to elude detection. But their smooth escape quickly turned into a daring car chase as they were chased by mafia members who had planned an ambush in an attempt to thwart the heist. This chase took place through tunnels and along perilous mountain roads.

As a passionate cinephile, I was thrilled to learn that Terry Stacey, our skilled cinematographer, joined the project early on. He shared exciting news about Porsche supplying the vehicles for our film. Once we secured this partnership, Gudegast seamlessly incorporated these magnificent cars into the script, adding yet another layer of authenticity to our production.

Discussing via Zoom, Stacey informs EbMaster that the cars used for the heist were ideal due to their stealth and speed, yet compact in size. Despite this, several vehicles and arrangements were necessary to assemble the scene effectively and execute the action-packed sequence.

Stacey explains that it started with preparatory work involving storyboarding, exploring roads, and using a pod car. Terry continues by stating that two of the Porsches were modified to resemble go-karts, and the stunt driver performed from atop one of them. To allow for better control during the action, the steering wheel, dashboard, and accelerator were moved up to the roof. O’Shea, Gerard, and the camera operator were inside the car.

Stacey employed a Sony Rialto setup featuring an extendable system, enabling her to detach the Sony Venice camera body. This way, she could attach the main body either to the ground or the roof, while the sensor and lens captured footage during driving sequences and spins, as she clarified. Another vehicle was equipped with a front-mounted camera, recording Butler and Jackson’s “driving” scenes. To avoid using a green screen due to the frequent exterior-interior action, Stacey opted for this setup instead.

The entire sequence took a week to shoot.

The tunnel scene was filmed in segments. When the vehicle appeared to spin, it was the stunt drivers who performed the actual spin, but when the car moved backward, it was positioned on a “biscuit rig” (a large platform that allows another car to pull and drive the first one). A camera was attached to the side, allowing you to see Gerard leaning out as he took photos while the Audis approached.

In an effort to keep the action real, Gudegast aimed for most scenes to be filmed without visual effects. However, during the scene where the windshield shatters and a fragment enters Donnie’s eye, visual effects were employed as Stacey explains, “That element was added digitally.

As they eventually exit the tunnel and the pursuit persists along winding mountain roads, Stacey remarks, “We only had one camera in the vehicle where the stunt performer had to pretend to drive off a cliff, which was quite challenging. The broader shot of the car plunging over the edge was computer-generated, but Christian explained when we needed to be close to Nick or Donnie, so we had a car and camera fixed on them, alternating with the villains in the Audis.

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2025-01-18 23:47