We’re coming up on the 30th anniversary of Heat, the Michael Mann-helmed crime drama starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the first movie where they shared screen time together (obviously that didn’t happen in The Godfather: Part II). While Heat still works just fine as a standalone story, in 2022, Mann co-authored the novel Heat 2 with Meg Gardiner, and now a film adaptation of that sequel is in development. The latest update on that front is that it looks like Leonardo DiCaprio will be joined by a fellow Christopher Nolan alum in the upcoming movie.
Following a little over a month after it was reported that Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists would take over making Heat 2 from Warner Bros. Pictures, Deadline has shared that Christian Bale is in talks for a “major role.” Although DiCaprio is believed to be playing Chris Shiherlis, whom the late Val Kilmer played in Heat, no details were provided about whom Bale would play if a deal is reached. The film version of Heat 2 is gearing up to begin production next year, so ideally we’ll know sooner rather than later if Bale signs on or not.
For those unaware, Heat 2 follows in The Godfather: Part II’s footsteps by serving as both a prequel and sequel to its predecessor, one of the best movies of the 1990s. The prequel portion of the story takes place in 1988 and follows Shiherlis, Neil McCauley and their crew committing heists in Chicago, while at the same time, Detective Vincent Hanna is investigating a separate case in the same city focused on a gang of violent home invaders. The sequel portion takes place from 1995 to 2000 and follows Shiherlis evading the authorities after the events of Heat.
Taking all this into account, and assuming his deal is finalized, I would not be surprised if Christian Bale ends up playing McCauley or Hanna in Heat 2, i.e. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino’s respective characters in the original. Those two roles would certainly fit an actor of his caliber, and since Leonard DiCaprio would appear across both time periods if he is indeed playing Chris Shiherlis, then he and Bale would get to share screen time if the latter ends up being cast as McCauley. Of course, Christian Bale goes way back with Christopher Nolan thanks to the Dark Knight trilogy and The Prestige, while DiCaprio starred in Inception.
Or maybe I’m way off base and Christian Bale would instead play one of the new characters introduced in Heat 2. Whatever the case, I’m excited by the prospect of him and Leonardo DiCaprio finally getting to star in a movie together. Both are Academy Award-winning actors, the former for The Fighter and the latter for The Revenant, so you know it’s going to be electric when they’re paired together onscreen.
As we wait for official confirmation about Christian Bale’s involvement in Heat 2, remember that he’ll next be seen on the 2026 movies schedule playing Frankenstein’s monster in the Bonnie and Clyde-like The Bride!. Leonardo DiCaprio’s most recent movie, One Battle After Another, can now be rented or purchased digitally.