Michael Mann’s HEAT 2 Lands at Amazon MGM; Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver Among Rumored Cast

After years of anticipation, Heat 2, the long-awaited follow-up to Michael Mann’s 1995 crime classic, has found its new home. The project has been acquired by Amazon MGM’s United Artists division, ensuring that Mann’s ambitious vision for his return to the world of high-stakes crime and obsession will finally make it to the screen.

Originally developed at Warner Bros., the film was put back on the market after Mann and the studio failed to settle on a budget. Now, with Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer behind Top Gun: Maverick, and Scott Stuber, former head of Netflix Film, joining Mann and producer Nick Nesbitt, Heat 2 is officially back in motion.

The rumored cast list is loaded with A-list potential. Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly circling the project, with Adam Driver, Austin Butler, and Bradley Cooper also said to be in the mix.

As of now, no formal offers have gone out, but it’s clear that Heat 2 is shaping up to be one of Hollywood’s most sought-after projects. One insider put it simply: “Everyone you can think of has met on this.”

For fans of Mann’s original Heat, this sequel is based on his 2022 novel co-written with Meg Gardiner and it promises to be just as intricate and intense. The book, a New York Times bestseller, serves as both a prequel and sequel, exploring multiple timelines.

It dives into the early criminal exploits of Robert De Niro’s Neil McCauley and his crew, as well as the aftermath of the film’s iconic heist through the eyes of Val Kilmer’s character, Chris Shiherlis, on a dangerous quest across continents to reunite with his lost love, originally played by Ashley Judd.

Mann has described Heat 2 as an expansive crime saga spanning from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Chicago, and even the jungles of South America, with a new and more brutal villain, Otis Wardell, a murderer and rapist who raises the stakes beyond what we saw in the first film.

Getting this massive story made has been no small feat. Mann reportedly fought to keep the film’s scale intact, negotiating budget numbers that fluctuated between $135 million and $230 million before Warner Bros. stepped away. UA has not commented on the current budget, but the film’s scope, locations, and high-profile cast mean it won’t come cheap.

The project also reunites Mann with Eric Roth, who co-wrote The Insider, and Shane Salerno, who helped secure the original book deal, both serving as executive producers.

Between Mann’s attention to detail, his reputation for cinematic precision, and the powerhouse talent circling the project, Heat 2 has all the makings of a major event film. If it captures even half the energy and craftsmanship of the original, audiences could be in for something truly electric.

With Mann said to have been meeting with actors for months, and studios like Paramount and Sony once fighting for a shot at the project, it’s clear Heat 2 will be a return to one of the greatest crime sagas ever put on film.

Now that Amazon MGM has locked it down, all that’s left is for Mann to cast the film, polish the script, and roll cameras.