It seems like we’ve been talking about a potential “Heat” sequel film for years now. But really, things have only, uh, heated up regarding a new film since the release of the “Heat 2” novel. Now, it seems as if filmmaker Michael Mann is truly ready to bring his crime epic back. And it would appear he knows at least one of the stars he’d like to work with.
Speaking in a new Vulture interview, Michael Mann was asked about the possibility of “Heat 2.” Again, as mentioned above, the novel “Heat 2” was co-written by Mann and released earlier this year. The book was very popular and seemed to reignite interest in a new feature film. The filmmaker has only stoked the flames in interviews where he teased that he would like to make a sequel to his 1995 crime drama. And now, it seems like we’re closer than ever before to seeing that happen.
For those unaware, “Heat 2” takes place in two distinct time periods, serving as both prequel and sequel to the original film. The prequel parts follow the origins of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino’s characters, Neil McCauley and Vincent Hanna, respectively. The sequel continues the story of Chris Shiherlis, who survived the events of the film. So, the sequel film would not only have to cast an older Chris, who was originally played by Val Kilmer but also find younger actors to step into the shoes of Pacino and De Niro. And that’s a tricky proposition, said Mann.
“Well, you wouldn’t want to do the same thing,” said Mann about casting “Heat 2.” “Look, this is a crapshoot. You want to reinvent these characters. There are certain qualifications. You have to be a great fucking actor to play McCauley. I think Adam Driver is a great actor, like De Niro. Then who’s Hanna, who’s Chris Shiherlis? Who can take it someplace fresh?”
But when will we actually see “Heat 2?” Well, according to Mann, who spoke at a Deadline event, the filmmaker teased, “I plan to shoot [‘Heat 2’] next.” Obviously, that doesn’t mean he’s ready to begin production the moment the SAG strike ends. But perhaps production could begin some time next year? Film fans would be incredibly excited to see news about that happening, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
You can see the full Deadline panel below: