Leonardo DiCaprio has only ever starred in one sequel: the direct-to-video sci-fi thriller, Critters 3, released in 1991. He’d probably cover your mouth with his hand if you mentioned it in his presence, as it has a 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In his defense, he was just a kid at the time, grabbing any role that would come his way. Today, he has the right to be choosy, which explains why he never signs up for anything that doesn’t have a star director attached to it.
It’s thus not surprising that it has taken Michael Mann to convince Leo to do another sequel. The Hollywood superstar is set to star in Heat 2, based on Mann and Meg Gardiner’s 2022 novel of the same name. The upcoming film is both a prequel and a sequel to the 1995 crime film, Heat, covering the formative years of homicide detective Vincent Hanna and the outlaws Neil McCauley and Chris Shiherlis. And DiCaprio isn’t the only jewel. Several Hollywood talents have been assembled for the upcoming blockbuster.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale Are Confirmed for ‘Heat 2’, With More Major Actors in Talks
For over two years, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale have been the top two names rumored to be part of Heat 2’s cast. Now there’s official confirmation. The Wrap just revealed that the deals have been closed, with filming set to begin in November 2026. Bale will portray Vincent Hanna, the relentless LAPD Robbery Homicide detective made famous by Al Pacino in the original ‘90s flick, while DiCaprio will play Chris Shiherlis, the uncontrollable criminal originally portrayed by Val Kilmer.
Away from the two, Adam Driver is reportedly in talks to play the villain, Wardell. Stephen Graham is also being eyed for Neil McCauley, the character Robert De Niro portrayed. That’s one potential casting I’m particularly excited about as Graham rarely has a bad day in the office. Hollywood’s grapevine also mentions Jason Clarke as the person being targeted for the role of Nate, the veteran criminal fixer that Jon Voight played all too comfortably.
The original movie was based on L.A. Takedown, which Mann wrote and directed as a TV pilot for an NBC series. The network never picked up the series, a choice that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Mann reworked the entire idea into a movie that eventually grossed $187.4 million on a tiny budget of $60 million. It’s now considered one of the best heist films of all time, famous for its many tense scenes, including the early street shootout and the climactic airport showdown.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale’s Link Goes Beyond ‘Heat 2’
Heat 2 will mark the first time Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale star in a movie together. However, the two superstars have been linked to the same projects a few times before, notably Titanic, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and American Psycho.
Bale made his name earlier, thanks to the Steven Spielberg war movie, Empire of the Sun. Unfortunately, he struggled to get major roles over that. He was one of the many actors who auditioned for the role of Jack Dawson in Titanic. However, James Cameron wasn’t keen on casting two British actors as the leads (with Kate Winslet already cast earlier), so he offered the role to DiCaprio, who went on to become one of the world’s most famous people, thanks to the movie’s massive popularity.
American Psycho director Mary Harron also had Christian Bale as his first choice for serial killer Patrick Bateman, but Lionsgate insisted on Leonardo DiCaprio, with Oliver Stone eyed to direct. DiCaprio eventually dropped out, forcing the studio to turn back to Bale. The actor’s incredible performance opened major doors for him, and he has never looked back ever since. There were also reports of a young Christian Bale auditioning for Arnie Grape, which ultimately went to DiCaprio, earning him his first Oscar nomination.
In a 2022 interview with GQ Magazine, Bale acknowledged DiCaprio’s industry demand, saying that he wasn’t the only one who lost roles to the Killers of the Flower Moon actor:
“It’s not just me. Look, to this day, any role that anybody gets, it’s only because he’s passed on it beforehand. It doesn’t matter what anyone tells you. It doesn’t matter how friendly you are with the directors. All those people that I’ve worked with multiple times, they all offered every one of those roles to him first. Right? I had one of those people actually tell me that. So, thank you, Leo, because literally, he gets to choose everything he does. And good for him, he’s phenomenal.”
Bale was also asked if he feels some type of way about DiCaprio being offered all these roles before anyone else, and he insisted it doesn’t bother him. “Do you know how grateful I am to get any damn thing? I mean, I can’t do what he does. I wouldn’t want the exposure that he has either. And he does it magnificently,” he said, adding, “I would suspect that almost everybody of a similar age to him in Hollywood owes their careers to him passing on whatever project it is.”
Now the two will finally share a stage. Who will get the Oscar? And the winner is… well… umm… Stephen Graham… for Best Supporting Actor.
