Following a frustrating period of stasis, a new report claims that Michael Mann’s Heat 2 is now actively in pre-production.
Given that the studio is enduring an up and down couple of years, the key to getting an expensive adult-focused drama greenlit in the corridors of power at Warner Bros might simply come down to timing.
Even as writer/director Michael Mann was working on the script for Heat 2 last year, he didn’t sound particularly confident that the studio would actually back the project into fruition, saying at one point that “nothing’s definitely going [forward] because the sky may fall.”
Of course, last year was a tricky one for Warner Bros with several expensive projects such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Joker: Folie A Deux failing to theatrically recoup their investments. As we arrive at the halfway point of this year, things are looking steadier for the studio – yes, there are some big bets such as Superman yet to come but since receiving Mann’s script back in March, perhaps the studio’s top brass have shed any of the lingering concerns that were popping up in reports and decided to commit to the project.
That’s the claim emerging from World Of Reel, with the outlet stating that the studio is now “extremely enthusiastic” about the project and, as such, casting has now begun. Finally, we might get confirmation regarding the long-standing rumours regarding the potential involvement of Adam Driver and Austin Butler. The former is believed to be taking on Neil McCauley role played by Robert De Niro in the 1995 original, while Butler is believed to be in line to play the part of Chris Shiherlis, played by Val Kilmer in 1995.
Likely taking on the form of Mann’s published novel, the film will be split across two timelines acting as both prequel and sequel to the events of the first Heat. Hearing that things are finally moving forwards is welcome information, and hopefully before long, we’ll get some confirmed casting news.
More on Heat 2 as we hear it.
