Stepping into Al Pacino’s shoes is no small task, and Christian Bale knows it. The actor is set to play Vincent Hanna, the obsessive LAPD detective Pacino made iconic in Michael Mann’s 1995 classic Heat, in the long-awaited Heat 2. But don’t expect an impression.
Asked by AP Entertainment whether he would be imitating Pacino’s performance, Bale was clear: “No, I’ve got to make it my own.”
Watching Pacino “Obsessively”
That doesn’t mean Bale is ignoring the original. He was full of praise for Pacino’s work, calling him “absolutely brilliant in what he did,” and admitted he has been watching the performance “obsessively.” Still, he believes the only way to honour the role is to “figure out my way to do it, to make it my own thing.”
It’s a familiar approach for Bale, who has spent his career disappearing into characters, from Patrick Bateman in American Psycho to Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and his Oscar-winning turn in The Fighter.
What We Know About Heat 2
Michael Mann returns to direct, adapting his own 2022 novel Heat 2, co-written with Meg Gardiner. The book works as both a prequel and a sequel, jumping between the years before the events of Heat and the aftermath of the famous downtown Los Angeles shootout.
Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly set to play Chris Shiherlis, the role originated by Val Kilmer, while Adam Driver is also attached to the cast. Amazon MGM Studios is behind the project, which was targeting a November start for filming. No release date has been announced yet.
With Bale, DiCaprio and Mann together, Heat 2 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated crime films in years.