Heat 2 (2024) is the highly anticipated follow-up to Michael Mann’s 1995 crime masterpiece Heat, which has become one of the most influential films in the genre. The film is both a prequel and a sequel, expanding the intense, gritty world of professional criminals and law enforcement, and taking us back into the lives of the iconic characters from the original film.

Based on the novel by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner, Heat 2 explores the deep connections between the events leading up to the original movie and the aftermath of its explosive conclusion.

The film is divided into two parallel storylines, delving into the past of the central characters and offering a glimpse into their fates after the events of Heat. Heat 2 takes us back in time to follow the formative years of Neil McCauley (played by Robert De Niro) and his crew before their fateful heist in Los Angeles.

The film explores McCauley’s early days as a professional thief, revealing his rise through the criminal underworld and his deep bond with his crew members, including Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) and Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore). The prequel aspect dives into McCauley’s meticulous planning and his code of conduct, showing the criminal he was before he crossed paths with the relentless LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino).