My sources already confirmed to me that Austin Butler was going to be par tof Michael Mann’s “Heat 2.” He’s set to play Chris Shiherlis, originally portrayed in 1995’s “Heat” by Val Kilmer.
Butler was recently asked about the ‘Heat’ sequel, via Total Film, and he played very coy about it all. "Yeah, I… I mean, I love the first film, but no comment on that," Butler tells the outlet.
Michael Mann has been reluctant in confirming any of the actors who will take part in the sequel, and I’m told by one of my sources that it’s because there isn’t an exact date as to when “Heat 2” will start production. Right now, it’s looking like a shoot in November is a possibility for the film. Butler is supposed to start production on Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing” in September, so, if all goes according to planned, he’ll most likely going to be doing ‘Heat 2’ right after.
Last month, a video started circulating on social media of Butler working on his gun skills with Taran Tactical for an unspecified movie role. Of course, the inevitable “Heat 2” rumors have resurfaced because of it. It didn’t help that in the video Butler was using practically the same Colt Model 733 short-barreled carbine that Val Kilmer famously used in the original 1995 classic.
The resemblance between young Kilmer and current-day Butler is uncanny. This casting is a no-brainer. Save for Butler, there’s also Adam Driver, who will most likely be taking on the role of Neil MacCauley (originally Robert De Niro). Other actors who are rumored to have been offered roles for the sequel include Al Pacino and Ana de Armas.
This past January, Mann mentioned that he wanted to shoot “Heat 2” on film — something he hasn’t done since the aughts. Mann is coming off last year’s “Ferrari,” which was his first film since 2015’s “Blackhat.”
“Heat 2” will be an adaptation of Mann’s own published novel, which became a New York Times #1 best-seller in August 2022 — it’s a continuation of the “Heat” saga. The setting takes place both before and after the original, utilizing flashbacks in the same vein as in The Godfather Part II, and largely focusing on Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and Shiherlis (Val Kilmer).
Following “Air,” this is Affleck’s latest stint behind the camera. He has cast himself in the lead role, alongside Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, and Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”).