Sony/Warner BrosHeat 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 MGM and Warner Bros to come to an agreement.
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.
Is there a Heat 2 release date?
Warner Bros.No, Heat 2 doesn’t currently have a release date, but Mann assures the project is heading in the right direction.
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.
According to a Puck News report, Mann was locked in a “heated budget battle” with Warner Bros execs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy over the sequel. They wanted to make the movie, but they were wary about Mann’s request for a $200 million budget.
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“He’s brought it down to about $170 million, per one of those sources, but still too rich for Warners’ blood,” the report added, noting how the original film’s box office returns would be almost $400 million adjusted for inflation.
Mann gave an update on the project when speaking at the Lumiere Film Festival in October, saying that he’s planning to shoot Heat 2 in 2026.
“We’re in the middle of negotiations and it looks like it will go forward sometime in the summer of 2026,” Variety reported. The outlet noted that Mann is working on a deal with Amazon MGM to get the rights to Heat 2 from Warner Bros. The director defended the move because it’s an “expensive movie to make, but I believe it should be made at the proper size and scale.”
He intends to shoot in Paraguay, Singapore, Chicago, and Los Angeles, 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?
Warner Bros.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?
Warner Bros.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.
Mann told the audience at Lumiere that it picks up one day after the original film, saying “only Val Kilmer’s alive, and he has to flee the United States.” He also explained “Aging and de-aging may be very important in the next film,” and he’ll experiment with AI but he won’t use it “gratuitously.”
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.
In the meantime, check out our list of the best action movies of all time and find out what else is dropping this year with our 2025 movie calendar.