Even though a follow-up film has yet to be confirmed, audiences would certainly line up to see another film to accompanyMichael Mann’sHeat. Recently, the Tribeca Film Festival held a panel to honor the 1995 film, which lead actorsAl PacinoandRobert De Niroattended. While a variety of topics were discussed, Pacino did explicitly state that he would like to see none other thanTimothée Chalamet(Call Me By Your Name,Beautiful Boy) portray a younger version of his character should a follow-up ever be made.
This casting could (potentially) see the light of day, as director Mann is working on a follow-up novel to the film that is both a prequel and a sequel. The novel, a collaboration with authorMeg Gardiner, has been in the works for six years and will hit shelves this August. Mann has stated that he would absolutely adapt this into either a film or a series, though no further updates have been given since. However, news could easily crop up later this year once the book hits shelves.
Chalamet is one of the hottest names in Hollywood who could easily help a film like this get made. He most recently starred as Paul Atreides inDenis Villeneuve’s adaptation ofDune, in addition toWes Anderson’sThe French DispatchandAdam McKay’sDon’t Look Up. The young actor will re-team with directorLuca Guadagninofor his filmBones and Alllater this year. Playing a younger version of a character will also be something he is familiar with, as he’s set to portray a young Willy Wonka inPaul King’sCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryprequel,Wonka.
Related:Michael Mann’s ‘Heat’ Gets Follow-Up Novel Set Before and After Events of Film
Given the nature of Hollywood these days, a sequel forHeatcould actually perform quite well. This year alone has brought forth a sequel in the form ofTop Gun: Maverick, which has performed incredibly well both critically and financially. That film was 36 years in the making, which is quite a bit more than the 27 years it has been sinceHeatreleased in theaters. Mann himself is already rather busy, as he is directing anEnzo Ferraribiopic starringAdam Driver.
As for Pacino and De Niro, both actors have kept relatively busy in recent years. Pacino starred inRidley Scott’sHouse of Gucci, as well as in the Amazon Prime seriesHunters. De Niro portrayed the fictional late night host Murray Franklin inJokeroppositeJoaquin Phoenix. The two also re-teamed forMartin Scorsese’s gangster epicThe Irishman, with Pacino being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
