Overview
- Amazon MGM has set a reported $165 million budget and assembled Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Adam Driver, Stephen Graham and Jason Clarke as Heat 2 prepares to begin production in November.
- The sequel left Warner Bros after budget disputes, briefly circulated at Paramount and Sony, and ultimately landed at Amazon MGM with United Artists attached.
- Michael Mann will direct from a script adapted with Meg Gardiner from their 2022 novel, with a story that acts as both a prequel and a sequel and plans to shoot in Los Angeles, Chicago, Paraguay and Singapore.
- People close to the production have told outlets the studio projects strong box-office potential, with some sources saying the film could approach $500 million, but those forecasts are unconfirmed.
- Production aims to wrap by spring 2027 for a 2028 release, yet Mann’s age and the production’s scale keep open the risk of delays and raise questions about long-term stewardship of the franchise.