Christian Bale has told a reporter he is due to start filming Heat 2 in Chicago soon, confirming his appearance in the hotly anticipated sequel as part of an increasingly stacked cast that also includes Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Batman actor told Fox News journalist Jake Hamilton he had signed on for the production, saying: “I’ll be back in Chicago soon for Heat 2!”
It’s the first time the American Psycho star has commented on his rumored appearance in Heat 2, which follows on from Michael Mann’s iconic 1995 heist film starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. However, we don’t know which character Bale will play, nor do we know Leonardo DiCaprio’s role. Mann worked with Bale on 2009 crime drama Public Enemies, so his appearance in Heat 2 would see the pair reunite.
The sequel is an adaptation of the 2022 novel of the same name, a collaboration between director Mann and thriller writer Meg Gardiner. Mann was open about his desire to direct a movie version at the time, and in 2023 was being coy over rumors about Adam Driver taking a role.
“Let me put it this way: Adam and I got along like a house on fire [on Ferrari],” Mann told Deadline. “We have the same work ethic, which is pretty intense. We like each other, and we had a great time working together artistically.”
The Heat 2 novel tells the story of the main characters before and after the events of the first movie, which has sparked speculation about how Mann will tackle portraying younger versions of Pacino and De Niro’s characters.
Speaking in October, Mann said he might experiment with AI to solve the issue. “I don’t experiment with technology gratuitously. When I have a dramatic need or aesthetic need for it, then I go deep into what I need,” he said, adding: “Aging and de-aging may be very important in the next film.”
In 2022, Pacino told The Independent that he would be open to using de-aging technology to reprise the role himself. Star Wars actor Adam Driver is rumored to be playing a younger version of De Niro’s character, while Elvis star Austin Butler is reportedly playing Chris Shiherlis, the late Val Kilmer’s character.
Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
