“Heat 2”: What We Know So Far About the Classic 1995 Movie's Sequel
“Heat 2”: What We Know So Far About the Classic 1995 Movie's Sequel
Christopher RudolphSat, February 28, 2026 at 1:15 PM UTC
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Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Cinematic / Alamy Stock Photo -
The 1995 crime film Heat starred Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the late Val Kilmer
In 2022, Michael Mann published his book Heat 2, serving as a prequel and sequel
Heat 2 is being adapted for the screen, with production set to start in summer 2026
Heat 2 is heating up!
The sequel to the 1995 crime classic, Heat, starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and the late Val Kilmer, has long been in development.
For years, casting rumors have swirled about who would star in the film follow-up, and in February 2026, Christian Bale seemingly confirmed his involvement in the project.
The upcoming movie will be based on the 2022 novel Heat 2, which followed the characters before and after the events depicted in the 1995 movie.
"It’s been my intention for a long time to do the further stories of Heat,” director Michael Mann told Deadline in January 2022. "There was always a rich history or back-story about the events in these people’s lives before 1995 in Heat and projection of where their lives would take them after."
Here's what we know so far about Heat 2.
What is Heat 2 about?
Wes Studi, Al Pacino and Mykelti Williamson in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
Heat 2 is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Mann and Meg Gardiner. The book takes place in different years, serving as both a prequel and a sequel to the 1995 action epic.
Heat 2 picks up right after the movie, with Chris Shiherlis (Kilmer's character in the film) escaping Los Angeles and making his way to South America and Southeast Asia, where he becomes involved with the international drug cartel.
Another part of the Heat 2 the novel is set in 1988 Chicago, and follows Vincent Hanna (Pacino's character), on the trail of a sadistic killer named Otis Wardell.
The section of the book also shows how Hanna and Neil McCauley (De Niro) almost met in the Windy City years before their face-to-face in the 1995 film.
Heat 2 jumps to the year 2000, where the characters and plots from the different timelines intersect, leading to an intense showdown in L.A.
In an August 2022 Rolling Stone interview, Mann described the Heat 2 book as "a global version of Heat."
Who is in the Heat 2 cast?
The 1995 Heat featured a star-studded cast, and the sequel is also shaping up to have A-listers on its roster.
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Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have been rumored to be joining Heat 2, and in February 2026, one actor, Bale, seemingly confirmed his involvement in the project.
According to an X post from Good Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton, Bale told him, “I’ll be back in Chicago soon for Heat 2!"
Other actors who have reportedly been linked to Heat 2 include Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Driver, Austin Butler and Bradley Cooper, per The Hollywood Reporter in October 2025.
With the plots spanning multiple decades, Mann said "aging and de-aging" technology "will be very important in the film," per The Playlist.
Who is directing Heat 2?
Michael Mann on October 15, 2017 in Lyon, FranceCredit: Sylvain Lefevre/Getty
Mann, who directed the 1995 film, is returning to helm Heat 2.
He also co-wrote the book the upcoming movie is based on, but he wasn't originally aiming for the novel to be adapted for the screen.
"It wasn’t the intention, but you can’t separate the two," Mann told Vulture in December 2023. "I don’t know how to write novels. I do know how to write and imagine screenplays, and I wanted the novel to have a cinematic pace and a story-driven structure to it."
"What became exciting was to have them not be the people they are in Heat, but to put them through the experiences that turned them into the people that they are in Heat," he continued.
When will Heat 2 start filming?
Robert De Niro and Amy Brenneman in 'Heat' (1995)Credit: Frank Connor/Monarchy/Regency/Kobal/Shutterstock
Heat 2 is due to start filming in August 2026.
In a December 2025 interview with The Guardian, Mann said, "Listen, no picture happens until it’s happening, but right now we’re looking to start Aug. 3."
According to The Playlist, at the 2025 Lumiere Film Festival, Mann shared that 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 in Singapore.”
Is there a release date for Heat 2?
As of February 2026, Heat 2 does not have a confirmed release date.
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
