When will Michael Mann shoot “Heat 2“? The answer to that, and who’s actually on the cast sheet, remains a mystery at this point, but the long-awaited sequel is still moving ahead (albeit at a glacial pace). But a rumor has trickled in on a slow Friday that provides an update on who will star as what character in Mann’s, and that’s cause for excitement, or at least further speculation, for fans of the director.
So, what’s the scoop? Well, a new Patreon post by DanielRPK allegedly confirms who Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Stephen Graham, and Adam Driver will play in the crime-action epic. First up, DiCaprio will indeed play Chris Shiherlis, as previously reported, in what might be the most intensely action-driven role of the actor’s career. Those who’ve read the “Heat 2” novel already know that DiCaprio will have to get in great shape for this role, possibly even surpassing Val Kilmer in the 1995 original. Ostensibly, DiCaprio will play both older and younger versions of the Shiherlis character, too, given the novel’s threaded storylines before and after the events of “Heat.” In terms of DanielRPK’s update, however, DiCaprio as Shiherlis is old news, so let’s move onto the juicier castings.
Bale already confirmed back in February that he’d reunite with Mann on “Heat 2” for the first time since 2009’s “Public Enemies,” but he didn’t say who he’d play. DanielRPK reports he’ll take over for Al Pacino as Lt. Vincent Hanna, whose new obsession in “Heat 2” is tracking down DiCaprio’s Shiherlis at any cost. This casting may raise some eyebrows, but it is a decent fit, even if Bale’s onscreen intensity is much different than Pacino’s. But Hanna is a solid role for Bale, especially in the film’s earlier storyline, where a younger version of the character tracks down main antagonist Otis Lloyd Wardell while working for the Chicago PD. As for who will play Wardell? It’ll be Driver, and Wardell will be Driver’s most malicious onscreen character to date.
But it’s Stephen Graham’s apparent casting as Neil McCauley that will surprise “Heat” fans the most. That’s because the 52-year-old Graham is the same age Robert DeNiro was when he shot “Heat” back in the ’90s, and he’ll be playing a younger version of the character. Does the hair and makeup department have enough tricks to make Graham as McCauley work? When it comes to Bale as Hanna, everyone knows Bale is enough of a chameleon to make it work. But Graham as McCauley is a bolder and more troubling choice. That’s not to say Graham doesn’t have the talent to pull it off, but the margin for error is significantly less. Then again, it remains to be seen if this casting report is true.
As for who Jason Clarke might play in “Heat 2”? DanielRPK had no updates there, but there are plenty of meaty roles from the novel that the Australian actor could take on. And there are several female roles yet to be cast, including a young Charlene Sherherlis, whom Ashley Judd played in the 1995 film. Don’t expect any official announcements from Warner Bros. about the cast until Mann gets his shooting dates lined up, however, and it’s still unclear when that may be; hopefully later this year.
