Robert De Niro broke his silence on Heat 2 casting rumors. Speaking with ScreenRant, the actor addressed speculation surrounding Michael Mann’s upcoming sequel to Heat. Heat 2 did not begin development until more than 20 years after the release of its predecessor. In that time, Mann teamed up with UNSUB creator Meg Gardiner to write a novel set in the same world as Heat. It would serve as both a sequel and a prequel to the film.

The film swung into full development in 2023, with Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio slated to lead the cast. Among other casting rumors, it was speculated that De Niro’s character, Neil, would be recast, with Stephen Graham of Adolescence fame taking up the mantle.

Regarding the rumor, De Niro said, “I don’t know much about it.” The 83-year-old also revealed that he hadn’t read the book Mann and Gardiner penned.

What else do we know about Heat 2?

Heat 2, despite being hotly anticipated ever since its announcement, has changed studios twice. Initially a Warner Bros.-produced project, the film then went to Paramount before finally finding a home with Amazon MGM. Christian Bale will take on the role of Vincent Hanna, originally played by Al Pacino. DiCaprio will be taking over the role of Chris Shiherlis from Val Kilmer. Collider confirmed that Stephen Graham will indeed replace De Niro in the role.

Ultimately, it came down to the budget, for which the film switched studios. Warner Bros. was ready to put down $125 million for the film’s production, but Mann didn’t feel it was satisfactory. Amazon Prime eventually locked in the production.

The film is expected to begin production in November of this year. No release date has been set for the feature. Mann, F1 producer Jerry Bruckheimer, United Artists’ Scott Stuber, and Nick Nesbitt are serving as producers on the film.