Adam Driver has confirmed he will play Otis Wardell, the principal antagonist in Michael Mann’s upcoming Heat 2. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Driver said he would begin work on the film in early December and joked that he might find out soon if he had revealed the role before he was supposed to.
Heat 2 spans multiple periods and serves as both a prequel and a sequel to Mann’s 1995 crime film. Driver described the script as more condensed than the novel on which it is based, calling the film version “a missile.” In the book, Wardell is portrayed as the psychopathic leader of a violent home-invasion gang.
Driver also praised Mann, with whom he worked on the 2023 biopic Ferrari, and said he was looking forward to returning to work with him. He called the cast “awesome” and described the original Heat as a masterpiece.
Asked whether Mann’s recent shooting accident at a Los Angeles gun range had affected the schedule, Driver said the delay was already planned. He added that Mann responded to his text and was back at work the next day.
Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio have also been linked to the film. DiCaprio is set to play Chris Shiherlis, a role played by Val Kilmer in the original, while Bale will portray Vincent Hanna, originally played by Al Pacino. Ebon Moss-Bachrach was reportedly in final talks for a role, though his casting has not been officially confirmed. Heat 2 is now at Amazon MGM Studios, after the original film was made with Warner Bros.
Sources: IGN.