Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale have reportedly been confirmed to star in Heat 2.
According to TheWrap, sources said the two actors, after a year of intense negotiations, are locked, loaded, and ready to go ahead of the film's planned shoot this coming November.
Bale will star as Vincent Hanna in the sequel to Michael Mann's classic 1995 film, taking over a role originally played by Al Pacino. DiCaprio is set to star as Chris Shiherlis, who Val Kilmer originally played. DiCaprio and Bale's roles in the film follow months of rumors and speculation.
TheWrap also reports that negotiations for the film's villains are well underway. Adam Driver is reportedly being pursued to star as the villain, Wardell, and Stephen Graham is reportedly in talks to play Neil McCauley, who was played by Robert Deniro in the first film. Deadline reported in May that Jason Clarke is also being considered for a role.
As for who will play the role of Sharlene, who was originally played by Ashley Judd, this has not yet been confirmed — but there are a number of actors pursuing the role, according to TheWrap.
Heat 2 looks to be every bit as big as its predecessor, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest heist films of all time. Written by veteran filmmaker Michael Mann, Heat 2 will be both a sequel and a prequel to the original film.
In 2022, Mann released the story of Heat 2 as his debut crime novel, written with author Meg Gardiner. The following year, he revealed that he planned on shooting the film as his next project. Amazon MGM Studios will be producing Heat 2. A release date for the film has yet to be announced.
Last year, Mann admitted that he was considering using AI technology to age and de-age actors for Heat 2.
Speaking about it at a press conference at the Lumière Festival in Lyon, Mann said: "I don't experiment with technology gratuitously. If I have a dramatic or aesthetic need for it, then I go deep into what I need. For example, aging and de-aging will be very important in Heat 2."
