Leonardo DiCaprio has finally broken his silence about his involvement in Heat 2, the sequel to Michael Mann’s epic crime drama from 1995. The actor recently revealed how far along the project is, as well as what fans can expect from the story.
In an interview with Deadline, DiCaprio revealed how he’s been working with Mann on Heat 2 while addressing the rumors that he’s either playing Chris Shiherlis (the role originated by the late Val Kilmer) or Vincent Hanna (originally portrayed by Al Pacino). DiCaprio didn’t go as far as to confirm who he’ll be playing, but he did reveal what sets the sequel apart from its beloved predecessor. “This is very much its own movie. We’re still working on it, we’re a ways away from production. It tips its hat to Heat, but it’s an homage, and it picks up the story from there,” he shared.
DiCaprio acknowledged Mann’s 2022 crime novel, Heat 2, which served as both a prequel and sequel to the film. “The book is already out there, so there are no big secrets that I’m divulging,” DiCaprio said. “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.”
He also reflected on how Mann’s beloved 1995 film continues to strike a chord with audiences and how the sequel needs to have similar qualities. “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. So, we’re working on it. But it’s certainly exciting, and I think I look at it as its own silo, in a sense. We can’t duplicate what Heat was, so it’s paying homage to that film, but giving it its own unique entity.”
According to DiCaprio, his role in the project has yet to be fully nailed down. When asked if he would be playing Hanna or Shiherlis, he responded: “We’re discussing it. You know the book? […] We’re in mid-discussion.”
Michael Mann’s Heat Sequel Also Eyes Christian Bale for Major Role
Val Kilmer in Heat 1995Image via Warner Bros.
Details about Mann’s Heat sequel have been slowly trickling in over the course of 2025, and after landing DiCaprio, the project is reportedly also eyeing another major Hollywood actor for a major role. Last month it was reported that Christian Bale was ‘circling a major role’ in Heat 2, which is set to begin production sometime next year. The sequel has been in development since 2022, and other actors previously tied to the project have included Adam Driver and Austin Butler.
While landing DiCaprio and Bale would certainly be a big boost for Heat 2, the film has not been without its setbacks. In October, it was revealed that budget concerns between the studio and Mann had led to a studio switch up, with the project now being handled by United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios. Mann insisted that Heat 2 would be “an expensive movie to make” adding that he believed “it should be made at the proper size and scale.”
Heat 2 does not have a release date at this time.
Release Date
December 15, 1995
Runtime
170 minutes
Director
Michael Mann
Writers
Michael Mann
