I’m hearing there’s a battle brewing involving multiple studios trying to nab the rights for Michael Mann's "Heat” sequel. It’s quite clear that this is a hot property that execs want to get their hands on. “Heat” has amassed a large fanbase over the years and now we’re witnessing the extent of it.
The gist of this studio battle has to do with securing the rights to Mann’s upcoming novel, which is a continuation of the “Heat” saga. The setting takes place both before and after the original, in the same vein as in The Godfather Part II, largely focusing on Hanna and Chris Shiherlis (the character played in the film by Val Kilmer).
Earlier this week, Mann confirmed in an interview that he’s working on turning his novel into a movie. He also addressed possible concerns in finding financing for the project, saying he’s not worried due to the film’s already-large fanbase:
“It’s sustained in culture. It’s known. I could delude myself into thinking that the whole world is familiar with it, but when you check out its prominence in home vid for over 20 years, this thing really has legs. People are still watching it, people are still talking about it. It’s a brand. It’s kind of a Heat universe, in a way. And that certainly justifies a very large ambitious movie.
It helps that one of the most popular directors in the world bows down to the church of “Heat.” Christopher Nolan has consistently cited the film as one of his main influences. Earlier this year, Nolan even hosted a Q&A with Mann, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino at Tribeca.
Meanwhile, Mann is currently in Italy shooting “Ferrari,” which is set to be his first movie in over 8 years.