Jason Clarke Joins Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale in Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’

it’s been a while since we heard anything about Michael Mann’s “Heat 2.” Is if still shooting in August? Nothing confirmed yet.

What has been confirmed is that Jason Clarke has joined the cast, according to Deadline. So this sequel is still happening over at Amazon/MGM and United Artists. The budget is around $175M.

Over the past 20 years, Clarke has firmly established himself as one of Australia’s finest acting talents. Whether it’s “Lawless,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” or “Mudbound” — and more recently “Oppenheimer,” and “A House of Dynamite” — Clarke consistently delivers standout supporting work.

What role Clarke will play is unclear. Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale and Stephen Graham are also circling roles, as previously reported. Hopefully we get more info on this one soon.

Other actors who have been rumored for “Heat 2” over the years — though none have been officially confirmed — include Adam Driver, Ana de Armas, Bradley Cooper, Austin Butler, Jeremy Allen White, and Channing Tatum. Whether any of them ultimately join the film remains uncertain, especially given the many delays surrounding “Heat 2,” which may make long-term commitments difficult.

Mann, now 83, has spent the last few years carefully building the foundation for “Heat 2,” a dual prequel-sequel hybrid. The book charted the early days of Neil McCauley (played by Robert De Niro in the original) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino), while also following Hanna’s hunt for a new threat in the aftermath of the original film’s climactic shootout.

Mann is said to be deeply involved in every step, with the script described as “dense” and “operatic.” Interestingly, despite being one of digital cinema’s earliest adopters, he’s shot almost exclusively digital for over two decades, the filmmaker recently revealed that “Heat 2” will be shot on film, just like the 1995 original.