Iconic director confirms: a sequel to one of the best action films of all time will be his next project

Ever since Michael Mann and Megan Gardiner delivered their novel ‘Heat 2’ in August 2022, a direct sequel to the ’90s gangster classic ‘Heat’, the rumor mill has been bubbling as to whether we can expect this sequel to hit the big screen as a movie . be able to. Such an adjustment has not yet been officially confirmed — nor has there been any suggestion that “Heat” director Michael Mann would actually return to the director’s chair.

As Mann in an interview with but now explained, he plans “heat 2” actually as his next project: “Meg Gardiner and I wrote the novel ‘Heat 2’, which was published while we were filming ‘Ferrari’. And it went quite well. I plan to do that next.” Last year, Mann and Gardiner’s novel quickly landed on the New York Times bestseller list, after which Warner Bros. would have secured the rights.

Adam Driver follows in Robert De Niro’s footsteps?

However, Mann still had his hands full with the aforementioned biopic “Ferrari,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this summer and is currently awaiting an official release date in Germany. In it he directed Adam Driver in the role of the Italian racing driver and entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari – and has found a leading actor in Driver with whom he could also devise further projects.

Driver has long been considered a top contender in the Hollywood rumor mill for the role of young Neil McCauley in “Heat 2,” who was played by Robert De Niro in the 1995 original. However, according to Mann, the casting process has not yet progressed that far. When asked if Driver will actually play a role in the crime sequel, the filmmaker replied vaguely but optimistically: “Maybe. We’re not talking about that yet. But let me put it this way: Adam [Driver] and I got along very well at ‘Ferrari’. We have the same work ethic – and it’s pretty intense. We love each other and we had a great time working together artistically.”

That’s what “Heat 2” is about

The film adaptation of ‘Heat 2’ is intended as a prequel and sequel to the first part. The plot jumps back and forth between the events that take place one day after “Heat” and a prequel story set in 1988. As in the ’90s classic, the focus is on gangster Neil McCauley, LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (originally played by Al Pacino) and Chris Shiherlis, who was originally played by Val Kilmer. While young Hanna works her way up the ranks of the Chicago police, McCauley and Shiherlis and their team make the big city unsafe. This is where their paths cross for the first time…

Previously, there were rumors that ‘Elvis’ star Austin Butler could take on the role of the young Chris Shiherlis, while Al Pacino would like to see Timothée Chalamet as his Vincent Hanna successor. ‘The Gray Man’ actress Ana de Armas is said to be in the running for a female lead role. It remains to be seen if these rumors are actually true.