Adam Driver’s participation in “Heat 2” had not been made official; until now, there was mostly just speculation. For comparison, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale are officially cast, and Stephen Graham has been confirmed as young Neil McCauley. Production is set to begin this November.
I guess we can now definitely add Driver to the cast. In an interview with Virgin Radio UK, Graham confirmed that Driver will be in the movie. He was rumored to play Otis Wardell, the central villain, a violent, psychopathic criminal who operates primarily in Chicago. The character’s presence ties together the prequel and sequel halves of the book’s structure, which spans decades and multiple locations.
Driver starred in Mann’s last film, “Ferrari,” and it was assumed he had been offered a role in “Heat 2,” which entered development around 2022. He was recently cast as Mr. Sinister, which had some wondering whether the “Heat” sequel’s six-month production might interfere with that. Clearly, it hasn’t.
Graham is flying to Los Angeles this weekend for five weeks of “Heat 2” training. I’m sure much of the cast will be there. The ensemble includes DiCaprio, Bale, Graham, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Jason Clarke, Odessa Young and Maria Cid, and more casting is expected to be announced soon.
The film will star Hugh Jackman, while Hugh Grant and Owen Cooper are circling roles. Jack Thorne, who is red-hot, thanks to his acclaimed Netflix series’ "Adolescence” and “Lord of the Flies,” wrote the script.