Gerard Butlerhas appeared in plenty of action movies throughout his career, and while some have certainly been more successful than others, his filmography includes several great projects that warranted sequels years later. The actor is best known for his work on films such as300andLaw Abiding Citizen, but it’s these sequel movies that feature some of his most engaging and well-developed characters to date. Incidentally,Gerard Butler also has many upcoming sequelsthat could easily prove to be among his best in the future.
Butler is among the few contemporary action stars who’s never really tried to break free of the genre, proving just how comfortable and at-home he feels in these kinds of movies - and that always comes across on-screen. Even in the projects that didn’t receive much critical acclaim, Butler is always a force to be reckoned with - and these sequels prove that audiences continually keep coming back for more. With2025 shaping up to be a great year for Gerard Butler, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of these classics.
London Has Fallen
Cast
Following up after the events of Olympus has Fallen, London has Fallen sees the return of the U.S. Secret Service Agent Mike Banning as he travels to the U.K. with the President to attend the funeral of the Prime Minister. Mike finds himself at the center of a deadly terrorist plot to assassinate the world leaders involved with G7 and must once again tap into his impressive repertoire of skills to thwart it.
While very few of Gerard Butler’s sequels manage to live up to the expectations placed upon them by the original movies,London Has Fallenfalters more severely than most.The film is a sequel toOlympus Has Fallen, which is generally considered one ofGerard Butler’s best action movies, but it takes the franchise in a whole new direction that didn’t stick the landing with most audiences.
Den Of Thieves 3’s New Setting & “Great Adventure” Teased By Gerard Butler After Pantera’s 79% RT Success
Den of Thieves 3 receives an exciting and promising update from star and producer Gerard Butler, following the success of the second movie.
The story centers around a terrorist attack at the funeral of the British Prime Minister, which thrusts Butler’s protagonist into a high-octane but ultimately uninteresting battle of survival. What succeeded so clearly inOlympus Has Fallenwas the film’s ability to weave a complex narrative web that had audiences on the edge of their seats, butthe story in this sequel is so linear and predictablethat it ultimately falls flat.
Angel Has Fallen
Angel Has Fallen is the third installment in the “Fallen” franchise. Gerard Butler stars as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, who must clear his name after being framed for an assassination attempt on the President of the United States. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tim Blake Nelson.
Angel Has Fallenmarked a slight improvement upon its predecessor, butit still misses the mark in comparison to the first moviein this unnecessary franchise. This story follows Butler’s protagonist Mike as he’s assigned to protect the US President but finds himself falsely accused of carrying out an attack on the politician.Angel Has Fallenlands somewhere between the intricate world-building of the first movie and the action spectacle ofLondon Has Fallen, never committing to either style and sadly floundering as a result.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
The third and final installment in the film franchise, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, follows the exploits of Hiccup and his dragon as they guide their village forward. Now chief of his village, Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia; Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. However, when danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.
How To Train Your Dragonis one of the few franchises that Gerard Butler has been a part of, and while the third movie doesn’t come close to the innovative storytelling of the first two,it’s still a very fun adventure for the whole family. With some brilliant voice performances and dynamic animation, the film is a fitting conclusion to this trilogy that makes the most of the vast world-building of the preceding movies. Incidentally,Gerard Butler will also appear in the upcoming live-action remake ofHow To Train Your Dragon.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Sheriff “Big Nick” O’Brien tracks Donnie Wilson to Europe after his daring escape. As Donnie becomes deeply involved with diamond thieves and the Panther mafia, the stakes rise with a plan to rob the world’s largest diamond exchange.
Den of Thieveswasn’t a movie that immediately called for a sequel, but it ended up being an excellent idea regardless. The film brings the action to Europe, following Butler’s main character as he finds himself tangled up in a web of complex conspiracies that relies upon his law-abiding expertise to get the job done.The film shines thanks to its gripping action sequencesand down-to-earth lead performance, which is one of Butler’s best.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
How to Train Your Dragon 2 is an animated adventure comedy that follows up shortly after the first film. This second entry in the trilogy finds Hiccup and Toothless exploring new worlds and charting unmapped territories. When the two discover a secret cave filled with new dragons and a mysterious Dragon Rider, the two will have to join forces to defeat a ruthless dragon hunter - a cruel and dangerous foe who threatens the freedom and safety of all dragonkind.
While the first movie was an undeniable success, few audiences were expectingHow To Train Your Dragon 2to be such an engaging, captivating adventure that arguably outshines its predecessor.Gerard Butlerreprises his role as Stoick the Vast, the father of Jay Baruchel’s protagonist, Hiccup - and this sequel is where his character really shines. He’s given a much more interesting and complex role in the story, which is more reminiscent of his arc from the children’s books. It’s the most inventive narrative of the franchise, and it will be fascinating to see howButler reprises his role in live-action.
