Michael Mann's 'Heat 2,' Sequel To 1995 Hit, Confirmed To Star Leonardo DiCaprio And Christian Bale

Back in 1995, Michael Mann’s Heat emerged as a big success in terms of box office numbers and critical reviews. 27 years after the release of the crime drama film, Heat 2 finally entered development in 2022. A potential release date has not been revealed by the makers. However, the other things are already in progress, including the casting and the arrival of a novel of the same name, described as a follow-up and prequel to Mann’s film. The novel has been written by Mann along with Meg Gardiner.

The first film focused on the confrontation between a thief and a Robbery Homicide Detective, working for the Los Angeles Police Department. The main lead roles were portrayed by Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Apart from them, the film had other popular faces, such as Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, and many more. The upcoming sequel is already creating headlines with the casting of Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. Keep reading to know more.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale confirmed to be featured in Heat 2

Fans of the first movie have been eagerly waiting to see Heat 2 in theatres. Meanwhile, the casting of Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio has created a different kind of excitement. The news of Christian Bale appearing in the film was confirmed by Fox News journalist, Jake Hamilton, in a post shared on X on February 24, 2026. Jake added a GIF to the post, revealing in the caption that Christian told him that he will soon return to Chicago for Heat 2.

On the other hand, Leonardo DiCaprio’s casting was confirmed in December 2025. The Titanic star was speaking to Deadline, when he revealed that he was working on the film. However, Leonardo did not disclose any additional information, saying that the film has not entered production so far. Leonardo mentioned that it is a homage to Heat and added:

“The book is already out there, so there are no big secrets that I’m divulging. It’s set in the future, and the past, from that pivotal moment in what I think is the great crime noir film of my lifetime. It’s one of those films that just keeps resonating, that we keep talking about, that has been imitated so many times and influenced so many different movies.”

Warner Bros. Pictures won’t be involved with Heat 2

Although Heat was released by Warner Bros. Pictures in 1995, the production company won’t be involved in the sequel this time. Notably, the studio was originally supposed to produce Heat 2. However, they were seeking to provide a budget of USD 170 million instead of USD 200 million, which was requested by Michael Mann. Apple Studios was reportedly supposed to finance the movie. The negotiations eventually did not work, and Warner Bros. Pictures left the sequel in August 2025.

Around a month after the exit of Warner Bros. Pictures, United Artists, which is a part of Amazon MGM Studios, joined Heat 2 in October 2025. The Hollywood Reporter stated that Jerry Bruckheimer joined the sequel as a producer along with Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt. Moreover, Eric Roth will serve as an executive producer. Michael Mann did not reveal anything about the cast members finalized for the film, except that he has met with many actors. He even claimed that Heat 2 was a kind of film that all kinds of actors were willing to join.

Michael Mann is planning to lock the highest number of screens for Heat 2

While United Artists joined Heat 2 as a producer, Michael Mann said during a press conference in October 2025 that he was planning to release the film in 4,000 screens for 45 days. Speaking about his collaboration with the Amazon MGM Studios division, Michael Mann said that the company was entering the field of exhibition and distribution, which would be a new experience for them. Addressing the budget issues that happened before the exit of Warner Bros. Pictures, Michael Mann said:

“Heat 2 is… an expensive movie to make, but I believe it should be made at the proper size and scale. It’s going to shoot in Chicago, Los Angeles, Paraguay, and possibly some parts of Singapore.”

What are your thoughts about Michael Mann’s upcoming sequel, Heat 2? Let us know.

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