Ebon Moss-Bachrach is reportedly in final talks to join Michael Mann’s Heat 2 as Kelso, the mysterious former DARPA researcher played by Tom Noonan in the 1995 original. The report comes from TheWrap, via IGN, with filming planned to begin in November.
Moss-Bachrach would join a sequel that already has Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale and Stephen Graham attached in younger versions of characters played by Val Kilmer, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Amazon MGM has not announced a release date, and the casting remains unconfirmed until the studio closes the deal.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach Heat 2 casting puts Kelso back in the crew
Kelso is a small but important figure in Heat. He supplies Neil McCauley with the intelligence behind the crew’s robberies, making the character a useful link between Mann’s crime-world detail and the heists at the centre of the film.
TheWrap reports that Guy Pearce was considered for the role before Mann and his team moved towards Moss-Bachrach. The actor is best known for playing Richie Jerimovich in The Bear, but his credits also include The Punisher, Andor and the upcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The new casting follows earlier reports covered in tbreak’s Heat 2 casting update, which outlined the reported plans for DiCaprio, Bale and Graham. Mann’s return to the project also follows his work on a new director’s cut of Miami Vice.
When will Heat 2 start filming?
TheWrap says Heat 2 is expected to start shooting in November. That is a planned production window rather than a locked date, and there is still no announced theatrical release date.
Heat 2 is based on the 2022 novel by Mann and Meg Gardiner. The book works as both a sequel and a prequel to the 1995 film, following Chris Shiherlis after the original story while also looking back at the younger versions of its central characters. That structure explains why the new film needs a recast ensemble rather than simply bringing back the original leads.
The casting is still another reported step rather than a finished deal. The Ebon Moss-Bachrach Heat 2 casting report will remain unconfirmed until the studio closes the deal. Hollywood has survived worse paperwork, but it has not abolished it yet.
Who did Tom Noonan play in Heat?
Tom Noonan played Kelso, the former DARPA researcher who supplied Neil McCauley with intelligence for his robberies.
Is Heat 2 officially in production?
No. Filming is reportedly planned for November, but the start date and the latest casting remain subject to final deals.
Why does Heat 2 need younger actors?
Michael Mann’s novel moves between the aftermath of the 1995 film and earlier events, so the adaptation covers younger versions of several central characters.
