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United Artists in Final Talks to Acquire Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2

The move follows a budget impasse at Warner Bros., positioning the long-planned sequel for a theatrical release.

Overview

  • Amazon MGM’s United Artists is negotiating to take over the project after Warner Bros. let it be shopped in August over cost disagreements.
  • Michael Mann will write and direct, adapting his 2022 bestselling novel co-written with Meg Gardiner.
  • Producers include Mann, Jerry Bruckheimer, Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt, with Eric Roth and Shane Salerno serving as executive producers.
  • No cast deals are in place and a UA representative says the film will feature an all-new cast, with Leonardo DiCaprio reported to be circling alongside names like Adam Driver, Austin Butler and Bradley Cooper.
  • Budget expectations have ranged from $230 million down to $170 million, with Warner Bros. previously capping support near $135–$140 million, and studios weighing Mann’s large-scale, multi-location scope and spending track record as negotiations proceed.