If you feel the heat around the corner, that’s just Heat 2. The sequel to Michael Mann’s 1995 crime classic got a positive update on Tuesday, October 7, with a new studio coming on board with every intention to bring the project to the big screen.

The Hollywood Reporter shared that United Artists, which is part of Amazon MGM Studios, is in talks with Warner Bros. to acquire Heat 2. In addition, Jerry Bruckheimer and Scott Stuber have joined Mann and Nick Nesbitt as producers on the movie, which is based on the Heat 2 novel that Mann co-authored with Meg Gardiner and was published in 2022.

Heat 2 was initially announced at Warner Bros. in July 2022, but since then the project has faced many obstacles, including Mann and Warner Bros. not being able to agree on a budget, per The Hollywood Reporter. Warner Bros. decided to shop the project in August, and while many studios – including Paramount and Sony – were interested, United Artists won out.

Heat starred Robert De Niro as the calculated master criminal Neil McCauley planning a major heist, while Al Pacino plays the cop Vincent Hanna responsible for bringing McCauley down. With a cast that also included Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brennenman, Ashley Judd, and a young Natalie Portman, Heat is widely seen as a classic of the genre, with an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score.

The novel for Heat 2 serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the story of the original movie. One storyline focuses on a younger version of McCauley, as he and his crew pull off various heists, while the story set after the original movie follows Chris Shiherlis, Kilmer’s character, and his attempts to reunite with his former girlfriend.

According to reports, many A-list actors are interested in roles in Heat 2. Leonardo DiCaprio, Austin Butler, Adam Driver, Bradley Cooper, and others have been mentioned in relation to the project, though no offers have been made.

As for why Heat 2 was shopped by Warner Bros., the studio and Mann did not see eye-to-eye on the budget. Reports say Mann initially wanted a $230 million budget, but eventually came down to $170 million. Warners would have made the movie for $135-$140 million, or even $150 million if Mann committed to Heat 3 as well, per THR.

No information on a potential budget was provided by United Artists, nor is there any update on a time frame for Heat 2 to make it to movie theaters. However, considering the love for the original movie and the fact that the Heat 2 novel became a best-seller, there’s likely to be a considerable interest in the movie’s development moving forward.