30 years after Michael Mann delivered arguably the greatest L.A. crime movie on record with Heat, a star-studded sequel is beginning to take shape. With Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale reportedly set to star in the highly anticipated sequel, at least seven superb A-list actors are rumored to be courted for key roles.
Based on the novel Heat 2 by Mann and Meg Gardiner, the story serves as both a prequel and sequel to the events depicted in the all-time great 1995 bank heist movie. With the formative years of bank robber Neil McCauley and LAPD homicide detective Vincent Hanna set to be explored in 1988, the second part will trace their post-Heat rivalry through 2000. As Heat 2 moves forward, it’s time to meet the supporting cast who may co-star with Bale and DiCaprio in the film, and the roles they could play.
What Is Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ About?
Based on Michael Mann’s debut novel, co-written with Meg Gardiner, Heat 2 is poised to be a sprawling international crime saga that extends beyond Los Angeles. The nonlinear novel begins in Chicago in 1988, where police detective Vincent Hanna (portrayed by Al Pacino in Heat) tracks Otis Wardell, the unhinged leader of a home-invasion gang. After failing to capture Otis in a raid, Hanna goes after Otis’s equipment supplier, Aaron, who is found dead and savagely eviscerated.
Meanwhile, career heist man Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro in Heat) is also in Chicago, robbing several safety deposit boxes with his accomplices Chris Shiherlis (played by Val Kilmer) and Michael Cerrito (Tom Sizemore). Neil’s crew also gets supplies from Aaron, and when he is found dead, Neil flees to Los Angeles to get his girlfriend, Elisa, and their daughter, Gabriela, before going to Mexicali to rob a stash house. However, Otis has already tortured Aaron for information regarding Neil’s whereabouts and has begun stalking Neil, Chris, and Michael.
Once the story overlaps with the 1995 timeline featured in Heat, the story jumps ahead to 2000, when Hanna continues to pursue Otis for brutal homicides with ties to the David Liu crime family. The Lius include Ana and Felix, who oppose rival gang member Claudio Chen. As Hanna and his new partner Casals pursue Otis and the Lius, Chris’ wife Charlene and their son Dominick also play a factor in how the crime saga concludes. Now that the main characters are established, it’s time to decipher who will play who in Heat 2.
Leonardo DiCaprio & Christian Bale Will Reportedly Star in ‘Heat 2’
In a major casting coup, Michael Mann has reportedly been in talks with Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale to co-star in Heat 2. While it marks DiCaprio’s first time working with the director, Mann and Bale collaborated on the underrated heist thriller Public Enemies, in which Bale played real-life FBI agent Melvin Purvis opposite Johnny Depp’s John Dillinger.
Although the casting information did not reveal which characters Bale and DiCaprio are set to play, it’s important to remember that the story will take place in the past and the future (a prequel and a sequel), leaving the potential for two actors to play the same character at different points in the crime saga. Reading the tea leaves, the prevailing wisdom suggests that DiCaprio will portray the elder version of Chris Shiherlis, played brilliantly by the late great Val Kilmer in the 1995 movie.
As for Bale, the safe assumption is that he’ll either play a younger version of Vincent Hanna or Neil McCauley, one of the two main characters. However, given that Bale already played a good guy in Public Enemies, it would be surprising if he did so again for Michael Mann by playing a younger Hanna. Bale is currently 52, the same age De Niro was when he portrayed Neil McCauley. But since Heat 2 is a prequel and sequel, it’s doubtful that Bale will play a younger or older version of McCauley.
That leaves Bale for a younger version of Vincent Hanna. Would Bale want to play another law enforcer for Michael Mann in a crime drama? Pacino was 55 when he played Hanna in Heat. At 52, Bale could theoretically play a younger version of Hanna in the prequel set in 1988, but nothing is concrete at this time.
Moreover, given the substantial role of the psychopathic Otis Wardell throughout the novel, spanning each timeline, and Bale’s penchant for playing wildly unhinged characters like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, casting him as Otis would be an inspired choice. But until the casting is confirmed, it’s all conjecture at this point.
Al Pacino Is Rumored To Play a Role in ‘Heat 2’
The only recurring actor from the original Heat circling a role in Heat 2 is Al Pacino, who played LAPD homicide detective Vincent Hanna. Pacino and De Niro have one of the all-time great actorly showdowns in cinematic history when Hanna and McCauley meet in a diner to discuss their philosophical outlooks on opposite sides of the law.
If Pacino does star in Heat 2, it makes the most logical sense that he would reprise his role as Detective Hanna. However, 30 years have passed since he first played the role, and the sequel only extends to the year 2000. That’s a significant leap of faith for viewers to believe that Hanna would age by 30 years in just 5 years, given the original movie’s timeline.
Yet, with AI and de-aging technology improving each day, it’s entirely plausible that Pacino could return as Hanna in some form. Besides, for such an iconic performance in a landmark movie, it would be odd if Pacino were cast as a different character in the sequel.
Austin Butler Is Rumored for a ‘Heat 2’ Role
Fresh off his work in Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, Austin Butler (Dune Part Two, Elvis) is also rumored to play a main role in Heat 2. While nothing has been confirmed and details have not been given, given his blonde locks and good looks, many fans believe Butler will play the younger version of Chris Shiherlis in the film’s prequel sections. If that turns out to be the case and DiCaprio plays the older version of Chris Shiherlis in the sequel portion of Heat 2, that means two Oscar-caliber actors will play the same role at different points in their lives. If Butler doesn’t play young Chris, Otis and Aaron are potential roles he could fill.
Ana de Armas Could Possibly Play Ana in ‘Heat 2’
The only actress rumored for a role thus far, Ana de Armas (Knives Out, Ballerina), is bound to play one of the more substantial women in Heat 2. Since Elisa’s fate ends tragically fairly early on, chances are high that Ana de Armas will play Ana, an intelligent member of the Liu crime family. In the story, Chris sparks an ill-advised romance with Ana, and they form a partnership that leads them to the dark web. Ana remains a substantial part of the story in the timeline covering 1995 to 2000, making de Armas an ideal candidate to play the role.
Adam Driver Likely To Play Young Neil McCauley in ‘Heat 2’
Lionsgate
Adam Driver (Marriage Story, Logan Lucky) is also circling a high-profile role in Heat 2, with many believing he will play a young version of career thief Neil McCauley. While nothing has been confirmed, Driver recently played the lead role in Michael Mann’s Ferrari. Therefore, it stands to reason that Driver will play another major character in Heat 2. At 42 years old, Driver fits McCauley’s range for the 1988 timeline, with De Niro playing the role at 52 in the original Heat‘s 1995 timeline.
If Driver doesn’t play McCauley, he could hypothetically portray the younger version of Michael Cerrito. After all, Driver has experience playing characters of Italian descent, including House of Gucci and Ferrari. It’s also plausible that Driver would play the main villain, Otis Wardell, or criminal Felix.
Bradley Cooper Is Rumored for a ‘Heat 2’ Role
Bradley Cooper (American Sniper, A Star is Born) is also rumored to play a key role in Heat 2. While unconfirmed, some reports claim Cooper would be an understudy to DiCaprio if DiCaprio does not end up playing Chris Shiherlis. Given Cooper’s physiology, it doesn’t seem likely that he would play either Neil McCauley or Vincent Hanna in their earlier years. If Cooper doesn’t play a version of Chris, he could play the supporting role of Aaron, the primary protagonist Otis Wardell, or the Liu crime family member, Felix.
Channing Tatum & Jeremy Allen White Are Also Circling ‘Heat 2’ Roles
Channing Tatum (Roofman, Blink Twice) and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, Shameless) are the final two actors rumored for roles in Heat 2. While it’s hard to tell who will play who, Tatum may play the younger version of McCauley, Hanna, Cerrito, or Wardell. It’s also possible that Tatum gets cast as Felix, the criminal who works with Ana for the Liu crime family.
Frankly, the same goes for White. While it’s unlikely he would win a starring role over the likes of Bale or DiCaprio, White easily fits the bill as Aaron, a crucial minor character who sets up the events in 1988. It’s unlikely that either Tatum or White will portray any of the non-white characters, including the Taiwanese-Paraguayan David Liu, Claudio Chen, or Hanna’s new partner, Casals. Heat is available to stream on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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December 15, 1995
- Runtime
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170 minutes
