Is there a post-credits scene in Caught Stealing? Details explored

Caught Stealing is a crime thriller directed by acclaimed filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. Released in the United States on August 29, 2025, the plot centers on Hank Thompson (played by Austin Butler), a former high-school baseball star turned New York City bartender. The cast also features Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, and Liev Schreiber, among others.

When Hank agrees to cat-sit for his punk-rock neighbour, Russ (played by Matt Smith), his normal life takes a violent twist. This seemingly simple favor sends him into a dangerous criminal underground where he is hunted by a diverse group of threatening gangsters, including corrupt police, Russian mobsters, and Orthodox Jewish hitmen.

Hank navigates the treacherous streets of 1990s Manhattan, using all his cunning and hustle to survive and understand why everyone wants a piece of him. Caught Stealing features a notable post-credit scene in which Laura Dern makes a surprising cameo as Hank's mother, who is only heard via phone calls, but this scene provides a face to the voice.

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Caught Stealing post-credit scene explained: Laura Dern’s surprise cameo and sequel setup

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Sony Pictures)

The post-credit scene in Darren Aronofsky's Caught Stealing serves as a crucial element, not only providing a significant character reveal but also cleverly setting the stage for potential sequels. The movie's central theme is directly followed in this scene, in which Austin Butler's character, Hank Thompson, escapes New York with a huge fortune.

The scene opens with a delivery being made to Hank's mother in California. Hank and his mother remain close throughout the film, with Hank reaching out to her often to discuss their favorite San Francisco Giants. However, her presence is limited to a voice-only role, adding a layer of mystery and emotional depth to their bond.

This changes in the post-credit clip when it is revealed that Laura Dern plays Hank's mother in an unidentified but major cameo. The mother is shocked when she opens the delivery package and finds half of the $4 million in illegal funds that Hank obtained throughout his dangerous journey.

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Sony Pictures)

This act highlights Hank's deep care for his mother, ensuring her financial security after his own narrow escape from the criminal world. Beyond the character-driven and emotional elements, the Caught Stealing post-credit scene serves as a prologue to a possible sequel, which could be called Six Bad Things, the next book in Charlie Huston's series on which the movie is based.

The film is adapted from Charlie Huston’s gritty 2004 crime novel of the same name. Huston not only created the source material but also wrote the screenplay for the film, ensuring the adaptation stayed true to his hard-boiled vision. The novella is the first of Huston's critically acclaimed Hank Thompson trilogy, which also includes Six Bad Things (2005) and A Dangerous Man (2006).

With Hank's mother holding the other half of the money and Hank fleeing to Mexico with the remaining, he is left open to the Russian mob boss's relentless pursuit, who surely wants the entire amount. This may turn Hank's story from a stand-alone criminal thriller into a possible franchise by establishing a compelling premise for a follow-up.

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Caught Stealing hit the theatres on August 29, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.