Michael Mann Hints at Filming Highly Anticipated Sequel

In a recent interview, *Heat* and *Ferrari* filmmaker Michael Mann revealed that he is quite deep into the process of writing a screenplay for *Heat 2*, a sequel to his 1995 crime classic. The book *Heat 2*, which Mann co-wrote with Meg Gardiner, was released in 2022. The timeline in the book isn’t 25 years later, so even if Robert De Niro and Al Pacino wanted to reprise their roles, it wouldn’t align with the plot. Instead, there’s speculation that Austin Butler and Adam Driver might join the cast, although Mann remained tight-lipped about those rumors.

Mann did share that he hopes to start production on *Heat 2* at the end of 2024 or early 2025. A sequel coming out so many years later might seem unusual, but it’s worth noting that Mann previously revived *Miami Vice*, the TV show that brought him fame, into a movie several decades later. In fact, *Heat* itself is a remake of *L.A. Takedown*, a made-for-TV movie Mann originally created with a fraction of *Heat*’s budget and star power.

When asked about the possibility of joining *Heat 2*, Butler expressed his admiration, “I think that film, what they did with it, is something that inspired me a lot. I think it inspired so many actors, and I mean, to get to see De Niro and Pacino together for the first time in that way. It’s such an authentic film as well, so visceral. But I think any opportunity to work with a master like Michael Mann is a gift to any actor who gets to work with him.”

Regarding Adam Driver, Mann had worked with him on *Ferrari* but refrained from confirming any plans to collaborate again. He did mention that they had a great working relationship and shared an “intense” work ethic.

“It’s going to be a combination [of CG and makeup]. And so, it won’t be [Robert De Niro] and Al [Pacino] playing McCauley and Hanna,” Mann explained. “And it actually starts eight years earlier than the movie. It starts in 1988, and then it’s gonna jump to 2000. But I don’t really know who to cast until I’ve actually written the screenplay, but I’m in the middle of writing the screenplay right now. And Warner Bros. have been very patient.”

The *Heat 2* novel, co-authored by Mann and Gardiner, delves into the backstory and future of the film’s main characters. The narrative shifts between two timelines. One part follows Chris Shiherlis as he tries to evade the LAPD and Detective Vincent Hanna after a failed bank robbery. The other segment takes us back to Chicago in 1988, where McCauley, Chris Shiherlis, and their high-line crew are executing heists on the West Coast, the US-Mexican border, and in Chicago. Simultaneously, Hanna is establishing himself in the Chicago police department, chasing a brutally violent gang of home invaders. The aftermath of McCauley’s heists and Hanna’s pursuit creates unforeseen ramifications in a parallel storyline.

Source: comicbook.com