At this point, it’s plainly obvious Austin Butler has been cast in “Heat 2.”
Back in May, my sources had confirmed Butler was going to be part of Michael Mann’s “Heat 2.” He’s set to play Chris Shiherlis, originally portrayed in 1995’s “Heat” by Val Kilmer.
This week, Butler has been doing interviews for “The Bikeriders,” and he’s been asked, more than a few times, about the ‘Heat’ sequel. The actor is playing very coy about his casting. His answers can obviously be seen as non-confirmatory confirmations.
Speaking to the AP, Butler says he “cannot confirm nor deny” that he’s in “Heat 2.”
Meanwhile, he’s even more vague with ET, who kindly source my scoop, telling them "Well, I love Michael Mann […] I have a canned answer that I've been saying for this, just, yeah I love Michael Mann, I love the first film, I love Val Kilmer. Yeah, it's -- he's an incredible filmmaker."
Mann has been reluctant in confirming any of the actors who will take part in the sequel, and I had been 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 as though a shoot in November is a major 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 be joining the ‘Heat 2’ set right after that one.
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).
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.”