Christian Bale being eyed for a role in Michael Mann’s Heat 2

The hits keep coming this surprisingly busy Monday, with word that Michael Mann‘s Public Enemies star Christian Bale is eyeing a role in Heat 2 alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Austin Butler, and others. Amazon, MGM Studios, and United Artists will start production next year, with Mann writing the script based on the New York Times bestseller he authored with Meg Gardiner.

While it’s not clear who Bale would play, we have an idea. What if Bale is playing the villain, Wardell? In the book, Wardell is evil incarnate. He’s a serial rapist and home invader. Pacino’s character, Vincent, is obsessed with catching Wardell, but he was also an enemy of Neil McCauley’s and Chris (Val Kilmer’s character). It feels like everyone’s got it out for Wardell, and Bale’s expertise at playing psychopaths is well-documented.

Heat 2 takes place one day after the events of the original movie, as it follows a wounded Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) desperately trying to escape Los Angeles. The story flashes back and forth to events years before the heist and the years immediately following. I can’t imagine anyone else taking on the iconic roles of the original movie. Still, Michael Mann has said that audiences are ready for a new story in the Heat universe. “It’s sustained in culture. It’s known,” Mann said. “I could delude myself into thinking that the whole world is familiar with it, but when you check out its prominence in home video for over 20 years, this thing really has legs. People are still watching it, people are still talking about it. It’s a brand. It’s kind of a Heat universe, in a way. And that certainly justifies a very large ambitious movie.”

What do you think about Christian Bale potentially joining the cast of Heat 2 alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Austin Butler, Bradley Cooper, and Adam Driver? Have you read Mann and Meg Gardiner’s novel? What are the chances that Christian Bale is gearing up to play the villain Wardell? Who else would make a great addition to the cast of Heat 2? Benicio del Toro? Charlize Theron? Idris Elba? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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