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Bale, DiCaprio Lead $170M Heat 2 Sequel

7/4/2026

26 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio have been cast in Michael Mann’s sequel Heat 2, with Bale playing LAPD detective Vincent Hanna and DiCaprio portraying criminal Chris Shiherlis.
Filming is scheduled to begin in November 2026 under Amazon MGM Studios’ distribution.
The budget is now about $170 million after Warner Bros. dropped the project.
The production will receive nearly $40 million in California tax incentives.

History

Historical Context

California launched its Film & Television Tax Credit Program in 2000 under Governor Gray Davis, offering up to 30% rebates; the first major beneficiary, *Gladiator*, received a $45 million credit. The model spurred other states—Connecticut (2006) and New Jersey (2018)—to adopt similar incentives, and today Amazon MGM Studios relies on nearly $40 million in California rebates for *Heat 2*.

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Story summary

Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio have been cast in Michael Mann’s sequel Heat 2, with Bale playing LAPD detective Vincent Hanna and DiCaprio portraying criminal Chris Shiherlis.
Filming is scheduled to begin in November 2026 under Amazon MGM Studios’ distribution.
The budget is now about $170 million after Warner Bros. dropped the project.
The production will receive nearly $40 million in California tax incentives.

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