“Heat 2” Novel Cover
A sequel to Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat, is finally moving in the right direction now that Amazon MGM/United Artist is spearheading the production.
Leonardo DiCaprio is in negotiations for the role of Chris Shiherlis (portrayed by Val Kilmer the original); and Adam Driver (Ferrari) is rumored for the role of Neil McCauley (portrayed by Robert De Niro in the original).
The latest update from Deadline is that Christian Bale (who worked with Mann on Public Enemies) is circling a major, undisclosed role.
Other stars being thrown around by media outlets include Austin Butler (Elvis), Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born), Ana de Armas (Ballerina), Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) and Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) – but none of the aforementioned names are locked in.
The project was originally set up at Warner Bros., but the studio let the filmmakers shop around the film after disagreeing on the budget, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news of the potential sale that eventually landed in Amazon MGM’s hands (via Variety).
No plot details have been announced, but it’s known that Mann is adapting the upcoming film from his own debut novel of the same name (which he wrote with Meg Gardiner), acting as both a prequel and sequel, taking place in 1988 and 2000 (think The Godfather Part II).
If Heat 2 does include the scenes that take place after the events of the 1995 film, maybe there’s a chance Pacino will return as Hanna? After all, the director hinted that AI isn’t off the table:
“I don’t experiment with technology gratuitously,” Mann said when asked about using AI. “Aging and de-aging may be very important in the next film,” Mann said, referring to the sequel (via Variety).
Here’s a little of what you can expect from Heat 2, using the novel as a reference point (via Amazon):
“One day after the end of Heat, Chris Shiherlis (played by Val Kilmer) is holed up in Koreatown, wounded, half delirious, and desperately trying to escape LA. Hunting him is LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (played by Al Pacino). Hours earlier, Hanna killed Shiherlis’s brother in arms Neil McCauley (played by Robert De Niro) in a gunfight under the strobe lights at the foot of an LAX runway. Now Hanna’s determined to capture or kill Shiherlis, the last survivor of McCauley’s crew, before he ghosts out of the city.
In 1988, seven years earlier, McCauley, Shiherlis, and their highline crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the US-Mexican border, and now in Chicago. Driven, daring, they’re pulling in money and living vivid lives. And Chicago homicide detective Vincent Hanna—a man unreconciled with his history—is following his calling, the pursuit of armed and dangerous men into the dark and wild places, hunting an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.
Meanwhile, the fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative, driving through the years following Heat.”
Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists will start production on Heat 2 next year.
We’ll keep you updated on this story as we learn more.
Heat 3, if we count Den of Thieves XD
Battle’s not really successful. But it is PTA’s highest grossing movie…
Critical success. =)
Tell that to the producers!