# Heat 2

Heat 2 is a 2022 American crime novel written by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner. Mann's debut novel, Heat 2 is both a prequel and a sequel to his 1995 crime film Heat. It covers the formative years of homicide detective Vincent Hanna and criminals Neil McCauley and Chris Shiherlis. The novel's prologue is set immediately after the film's ending before moving to 1988, 1995–96 and 2000 through multiple locations in North America, South America and Southeast Asia.
Announced in 2016 as a prequel, Heat 2 released in August 2022 and landed on the New York Times bestseller list. Heat 2 was part of a renewed era of productivity for Mann, debuting a few months after his Tokyo Vice pilot and culminating the following year with the release of his passion project Ferrari, Mann's first film in eight years. Mann is developing both a feature film adaptation and possible follow up novels.

## Plot

Note: The novel takes place non-chronologically in 1988, 1995–96 and 2000. The plot is summarized here in chronological order.
In 1988 Chicago, Detective Vincent Hanna pursues the psychopathic Otis Wardell's gang of vicious home invaders. Vincent identifies the group and sets up an ambush, eliminating all but Wardell. Vincent raids Aaron, Wardell's supplier, in search of Wardell only to find a dismembered Aaron. Realizing that his quarry has vanished and disenfranchised with the politics of the Chicago Police Department, Vincent resigns.
Concurrent to those events, criminals Neil McCauley, Chris Shiherlis and Michael Cherrito infiltrate and rob safety deposit boxes in Chicago with equipment supplied by Aaron. Neil returns to Los Angeles and reunites with his girlfriend Elisa and her eight-year-old daughter Gabriela. Neil has a set of floppy disks from their Chicago score analyzed, which reveals the location of a cartel stash house in Mexicali.
Neil's gang, now including Elisa, go to Mexicali and survey the stash house while Wardell stalks them. Neil and his crew raid the stash house and leave with the money amidst a firefight. Wardell arrives at the group's safe house, murders Elisa's uncle and kidnaps Elisa while Gabriela hides. Wardell forces Elisa to set a meet with Neil, who rushes to rescue Elisa and manages to disable Wardell's vehicle. Wardell holds Elisa at gunpoint and demands Neil surrender his car, full of the heist money, for her safety. Neil complies but Wardell mortally wounds Elisa and flees. A despondent Neil clutches the dying Elisa and vows to close his heart.
In 1995 Los Angeles, Vincent hunts Chris, the sole survivor of Neil's gang after a botched bank robbery. Nate hides the wounded and delirious Chris in Koreatown and coordinates an out for him, barely getting Chris across the Mexican border before the latter is flown to Ciudad del Este. Upon his arrival, Chris recuperates and works security for David Liu's Taiwanese-Paraguayan Liu crime family. The family includes the intelligent Ana and the unstable Felix, with tradition dictating the latter inherit the enterprise. In 1996, Chris foils an attempt by rival Taiwanese Claudio Chen to steal the Liu's GPS jammer program. Chris, using his tradecraft, delivers malware infested software to the Chens. After the intrusion is discovered, Chris negotiates a truce. He and Ana begin an illicit romance.
In 2000 Los Angeles, Vincent investigates the sadistic murder of a prostitute committed by Wardell, who established a prostitution ring with Neil's Mexicali score. Ana and Chris arrive in Los Angeles for business but Claudio and Felix, now allied, cut in. Seeking their own enterprise, Chris and Ana are introduced to the dark web. Despite his feelings for Ana, Chris attempts to reunite with his wife Charlene and their son Dominick but ultimately decides to let them go when he sees they have a new family. Claudio's security injures David Liu and Felix becomes the head of the Liu family.
An adult Gabriela runs into Wardell and reports him to the LAPD. Vincent attempts to locate Wardell but the latter, who had also recognized Gabriela, kidnaps her. Chris, seeking vengeance for Neil, follows Vincent as the latter attempts to rescue Gabriela. A violent freeway chase ensues which ends when Gabriela causes Wardell to crash. Chris, recognizing Gabriela, leads her to safety. Vincent kills Wardell in the crash wreckage. Reviewing security footage in the aftermath, Vincent's partner Casals realizes Chris was present and vows continued pursuit.
In Batam, Claudio and Felix offer to negotiate a truce with Chris. They arrive at a factory to make a deal, but Chris knows they are aiming to kill him and Ana and absorb their business. Chris counter ambushes and eliminates Claudio and his team. A wounded Felix pleads for his life, assuring Chris that Ana would have been safe. An unmoved Chris executes Felix. Ana and Chris meet shortly after, and Chris tells her that Felix was killed in crossfire, knowing Ana would leave him if she knew the truth.
Back in Los Angeles, Vincent arrives at Nate's bar and asks him "What are you not gonna tell me about Chris Shiherlis?"

## Development

It was announced in March 2016 that Mann was writing a prequel novel to the film Heat. After an extensive search for a collaborator, Reed Farrel Coleman was announced as Mann's co-writer the following year. In mid-2019, Mann clarified the novel would act as both a prequel and a sequel, and that he and Coleman were still at work on the novel for a 2020 release.
The novel's title, synopsis and release date were officially revealed in January 2022 with Meg Gardiner now listed as the co-author. Mann, a fan of Gardiner's novel UNSUB, was introduced to her by his literary agent Shane Salerno. As is customary for Mann, an extensive backstory was built for the characters when he made Heat, including Neil's and Chris' childhoods. Gardiner used this material to prioritize the prequel sections of the novel, and remarked on Mann's zealous quest for authenticity.
In addition to material accumulated from the first film, Mann used research on other works and various real-life events to form the novel. Hanna's experiences in Vietnam were based on Mann's unmade project on the Battle of Hue, and the novel's Batam sequence was based partly on one of Mann's unmade films. Hanna's restlessness with his surroundings, manifested by dangerous late night drives, was based on Mann's own behaviors in his younger years. The robberies that begin the novel, along with the efforts of the police to foil them, were based on a real case undertaken by regular Chicago detectives Charlie Adamson and Dennis Farina, both of whom collaborated with Mann several times.
Released in August, Heat 2 immediately landed on the New York Times bestseller list. Interviewed for the book's launch, Mann expressed his goal of expanding the "Heat universe" through additional books, including exploring the next stage of Chris Shiherlis' journey.

## Planned film adaptation

Prior the novel's publication, Mann stated his intention to turn the project into a film. In a December 2019 interview, Mann revealed he had casting ideas for who would play Neil and Vincent in Heat 2.
It was formally announced in spring 2023 that Mann would write and direct an adaptation of Heat 2 for Warner Bros., with Adam Driver in talks to place the young McCauley. Several months later, Mann confirmed Heat 2 would be his next film and that he had spoken to Driver about the McCauley role. Further casting rumors included Al Pacino returning as Vincent Hanna, Austin Butler portraying Chris Shiherlis, and Ana de Armas portraying Elisa. Actors Jeremy Allen White and Channing Tatum were also reported to be actively pursuing roles in the film. During press for Ferrari and The Bikeriders respectively, Driver and Butler declined comment on their participation in Heat 2.
While acknowledging the novel's length and scope would be well suited for a two-part streaming service presentation, Mann expressed desire to make a single, large scale theatrical release. Mann explained his primary challenge for the screenplay was finding a way to distill the novel's myriad threads into a single motion picture. Due to the novel taking place over many years, Mann said he would employ a combination of CGI and makeup on various actors but eschew de-aging techniques like those used in The Irishman. At a screening of Heat, Mann revealed he was considering shooting Heat 2 on celluloid, which would mark his first shot-on-film project since 2001's Ali. Mann also began seeking permission to film on location in Ciudad del Este, where portions of Miami Vice were filmed. Mann had also planned on shooting a large-scale shootout in Ciudad del Este for Miami Vice's ending, but this was scrapped due to logistical issues.
In January 2024, Mann shared his goal of shooting Heat 2 for a 2025 release, which would mark the 30th anniversary of the first film. In July, Mann said his aim was to begin filming by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. When asked about the casting of Butler and Driver, Mann stated "I can't talk about that." In August, Mann explained that he was writing the screenplay seven days a week and that the film would at least match the scope of the original. Mann further updated that Heat 2 would shoot on location in Paraguay, Mexicali, Chicago, LA and Batam.