Heat 2, a sequel to one of the best movies of all time, is in development (and Leonardo DiCaprio may be joining the cast)… all it needs is for Warner Bros to give it the green light.
Robert De Niro’s Neil McCauley once said, “I told you I’m never going back.” Well, the same can’t be said for Michael Mann. In 2022, he teamed with Meg Gardiner for Heat 2, a novel that picks up after his cops-and-robbers masterpiece but also explores the earlier years of the characters’ lives.
The filmmaker has floated the prospect of directing a Heat sequel for years, but the idea has gained momentum since the book’s publication. In 2023, he claimed it’d be his next movie, and the next year, he said he was hoping to shoot it for a 2025 release – it’s safe to say, that didn’t come to fruition.
However, that doesn’t mean Heat 2 is off the table. According to a new report, it could still happen, so here’s everything we know so far.
No, Heat 2 doesn’t currently have a release date, nor is the project anywhere near starting pre-production.
Speaking to Variety last year, Mann said he plans to “absolutely make” Heat 2 in 2024. He also described it as both a “prequel and sequel” to the original film.
However, we’re now over halfway through 2025, and it still hasn’t been officially green-lit. According to a Puck News report, Mann is locked in a “heated budget battle” with Warner Bros execs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy over the sequel. They want to make the movie, but they’re wary about Mann’s request for a $200 million budget.
“He’s brought it down to about $170 million, per one of those sources, but still too rich for Warners’ blood,” the report adds, noting how the original film’s box office returns would be almost $400 million adjusted for inflation.
There’s a possibility that Warner Bros will partner with Apple to co-finance the film, so fingers crossed they come to an agreement. Plus, they may get help from another A-lister.
Is Leonardo DiCaprio joining the Heat 2 cast?
While unconfirmed, Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly spoken to Mann about starring in Heat 2.
As for what role it’d be, it remains unclear. Could he be playing a young McCauley? Potentially, but according to Jeff Sneider (via The Hot Mic), there’s a rumor that he’d play the villain, a character named Otis Wardell.
“In a twist, Leo DiCaprio has had conversations with Mann about starring. If Leo is actually serious (always a question with him), that would likely push this project past the goal line,” Puck News wrote.
Who else could star in Heat 2? Adam Driver (who starred in Ferrari) has long been speculated as a contender to play young McCauley, and Mann even said last October: “Perhaps. We don’t talk about that yet.”
“Let me put it this way: Adam and I got along like a house on fire. We have the same work ethic – which is pretty intense. We like each other, and we had a great time working together artistically,” he told Deadline.
Fans have been lobbying for other stars to appear: some want Oscar Isaac to play Hanna, while others feel Jon Bernthal would be a stronger choice for McCauley. Then there’s the question of who could fill Val Kilmer’s shoes as Chris Shiherlis – Austin Butler, perhaps?
“I have a canned answer that I’ve been saying for this, just, yeah I love Michael Mann, I love the first film, I love Val Kilmer. Yeah, it’s – he’s an incredible filmmaker,” he told ET.
What is Heat 2 about?
Heat 2 doubles as a prequel and sequel to the original film, set in three separate time periods: 1988, 1996-1996, and 2000, exploring the pasts and futures of Neil McCauley, Chris Shiherlis, and Vincent Hanna.
The official synopsis for the novel reads: “This new story leads up to the events of the film and then moves beyond it, featuring new characters on both sides of the law, new high-line heists, and breathtakingly cinematic action sequences.
“Ranging from the streets of LA to the inner sancta of rival Taiwanese crime syndicates in Paraguay to a massive drug cartel money-laundering operation just over the border in Mexico, Heat 2 illuminates the dangerous workings of international crime organizations and the agents who pursue them as it provides a full-blooded portrait of the men and women who inhabit both worlds.”
Specifically, the plot involves a serial killer: Otis Wardell, and both McCauley and Hanna are after him for part of the story.
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