Assuming he does end up signing on –– and a reunion with Mann is certainly an intriguing concept –– Bale would likely end up co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio, though no deals are complete yet.
Still, it certainly appears Mann is aiming to build a leading ensemble to match the star power and awards haul of the original, famously led by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
Robert De Niro on the set of ‘Heat’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Mann’s original film follows Neil McCauley (De Niro), who leads a group of professional bank robbers, taking down major scores around Los Angeles. But after their latest heist goes terribly wrong and ends up in homicide, detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) finds a clue and becomes obsessed with the case, determined to stop McCauley’s crew.
Hanna and McCauley are competing against each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Although they are on different sides of the law, they still find huge respect, recognition in each other’s troubled personal lives and they understand their competing motivations –– yet they won’t hesitate to do whatever they can to win the battle.
How does ‘Heat 2’ tie in?
(L to R) Director Michael Mann, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro on the set of ‘Heat’. Photo: Warner Bros.
‘Heat 2’ (written by Mann alongside Meg Gardiner) in book form tells the story of everything that happens before and after to the principal characters. The book jumps between two time periods, the first following Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer in the original film) as he tries to evade the LAPD and Hanna following the bank robbery gone bad and moves forward into new territory in the tri-border zone and Southeast Asia.
The second storyline takes readers back to Chicago in 1988 when McCauley, Shiherlis and their crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the U.S.–Mexico border, and in Chicago. At the same time, Hanna is cutting his teeth as a rising star in the Chicago police department chasing an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.
The fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative.
DiCaprio is reportedly interested in the role of Shiherlis, and the likes of Austin Butler and Bradley Cooper have also had meetings about potential parts. Driver is still apparently part of the mix too –– essentially anyone with a profile is circling this one. We don’t yet know who Bale might play.
When will ‘Heat 2’ be on screens?
Amazon MGM has yet to confirm a release date for the movie, but Mann is aiming to have cameras rolling next year.
Director Michael Mann at the premiere of ‘Ferrari.’ Photo: Neon.
(Left) Leonardo DiCaprio at the Los Angeles World Premiere of ‘One Battle After Another’. Photo Credit: Jay Clendenin. Copyright: Shutterstock. (Right) Director Michael Mann at the premiere of ‘Ferrari.’ Photo: Neon.
Preview:
Michael Mann’s ‘Heat 2’ has Leonardo DiCaprio circling a role.
Bradley Cooper and more are also said to have met for the movie.
The film itself is on the move from Warner Bros. to Amazon after budget disagreements.
And that’s not the only development –– the movie itself has shifted from Warner Bros. (where the studio and director couldn’t come to terms on the budget) to Amazon MGM Studios, which will produce via its United Artists label after winning the chance over the likes of Sony and Paramount.
(L to R) Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
Mann’s original film follows Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), who leads a group of professional bank robbers, taking down major scores around Los Angeles. But after their latest heist goes terribly wrong and ends up in homicide, detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) finds a clue and becomes obsessed with the case, determined to stop McCauley’s crew.
Hanna and McCauley are competing against each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Although they are on different sides of the law, they still find huge respect, recognition in each other’s troubled personal lives and they understand their competing motivations –– yet they won’t hesitate to do whatever they can to win the battle.
How does ‘Heat 2’ tie in?
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
‘Heat 2’ (written by Mann alongside Meg Gardiner) in book form tells the story of everything that happens before and after to the principal characters. The book jumps between two time periods, the first following Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer in the original film) as he tries to evade the LAPD and Hanna following the bank robbery gone bad and moves forward into new territory in the tri-border zone and Southeast Asia.
The second storyline takes readers back to Chicago in 1988 when McCauley, Shiherlis and their crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the U.S.–Mexico border, and in Chicago. At the same time, Hanna is cutting his teeth as a rising star in the Chicago police department chasing an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.
The fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative.
DiCaprio is reportedly interested in the role of Shiherlis, and the likes of Austin Butler and Bradley Cooper have also had meetings about potential parts. Driver is still apparently part of the mix too –– essentially anyone with a profile is circling this one. But zero deals are in place yet.
Still, at least it seems Mann can finally get the burner lit and get ‘Heat 2’ cooking.
Director Michael Mann at the premiere of ‘Ferrari.’ Photo: Neon.
Val Kilmer in ‘Batmen Forever’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
‘Batman Forever’ has low critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes and is widely considered to be not good.
The movie is better than people give it credit for, as it has some great performances from great actors.
The action sequences are also quite entertaining.
‘Batman Forever‘ is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2025, so now is as good a time as any to revisit this classic and point out that it is not as bad as people say it is. The movie is certainly not perfect, by any means, but it has a lot of entertaining moments, unforgettable performances, and great action sequences.
The film takes place in Gotham, featuring two of the most iconic DC villains, Two-Face and Riddler, as they plan to get revenge on Batman. At the same time, Gotham’s hero is struggling with his own identity as he contemplates if he wishes to be Batman forever or if he is ready to hang up the cowl. His love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian, played by Nicole Kidman, is who he turns to for guidance.
‘Batman Forever’ Features Several Unforgettable Performances
Jim Carrey as the Riddler in ‘Batman Forever.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
When an actor plays a superhero, there can be a lot of pressure due to the fact that they have to play two different personas. Val Kilmer does a great job of portraying both Bruce Wayne and Batman, something that isn’t always easy to pull off. Each of them have their own unique mannerisms and personalities, making it believable not everyone around them would immediately know they are the same person. It is a shame that he did not have a good time making the movie, opting not to return, however George Clooney is a great Batman as well, so it was nice to get to see that.
Chris O’Donnell did return for ‘Batman & Robin’, thankfully. He delivers a good performance as Robin, even if he was a bit too old at the time to be believable as the character. This is not his fault, and he does what he can to make himself seem a little more immature and younger than he is, in an effort to make it work.
Tommy Lee Jones is decent as Two-Face, even if some of the writing and his performance is over-the-top. This character may be crazy and psychotic, but he isn’t supposed to be silly. One thing that is noticable during ‘Batman Forever’ is that he tends to re-flip his coin if he does not get the outcome he wants, which is not something the comic book version would do. He prefers everything to be left up to chance – not to say he wouldn’t rig it if he had to.
The standout performance in ‘Batman Forever’ is easily Jim Carrey. He is a character actor for the most part, which really shines in this film. Riddler is cartoonish and over-the-top, which is why Jim Carrey was the perfect choice to play him. This version of Riddler is smart and full of himself, but also more on the energetic and crazy side than we have seen in other movies (for example Paul Dano‘s Riddler in ‘The Batman‘). This Riddler really works for the story being told in ‘Batman Forever’ and is a more comic book accurate version of the character. A truly unforgettable Jim Carrey character.
There Are Great Action Sequences Sprinkled Throughout The Film
Chris O’Donnell as Robin in ‘Batman Forever’. Photo: Warner Bros.
What is a superhero movie without epic action sequences? Nothing.
‘Batman Forever’ thankfully delivers some great action scenes right from the start. There are heists, there are gangs, and of course, there are team-ups. All of these things together create some edge-of-your seat sequences that have you wondering if the good guys will make it out alive. If you don’t feel the stakes in a movie like this, it never really works. Of course, they do survive, but the villains are devious enough to have viewers curious if they will or not.
Allowing Two-Face and Riddler to team-up with one another creates a more dangerous situation for Batman and Robin, but also evens the playing field. These fight scenes are filled with cheesy one liners, but also include well done practical effects, something that is often missed in the industry nowadays.
Say What You Will, ‘Batman Forever’ Is Entertaining
(L to R) Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face and Jim Carrey as the Riddler in ‘Batman Forever.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
‘Batman Forever’ might not be a perfect movie, but it is far from terrible. It is nrealy impossible to watch this film without laughing and having a good time. Sure, some of the performances are a bit over-the-top, but honestly, that is the point. This is a superhero movie that opted to lean more into the ridiculous and silly side of things, while still delivering some more grounded, epic action sequences.
‘Batman Forever’ is not a movie that takes itself too seriously. In fact, it almost never takes itself seriously, which is the fun of it all. It takes the quirkiness of the 1966 series and dials it up to eleven. If you want to simply have a good time watching a movie, now is the perfect time to revisit this one.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Nicole Kidman in ‘Batmen Forever’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Marlon Brando in ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
A shipwrecked sailor (David Thewlis) stumbles upon a mysterious island and is shocked to discover that a brilliant scientist (Marlon Brando) and his lab assistant (Kilmer) have found a way to combine human and animal DNA—with horrific results.
Karen McCoy (Kim Basinger) is released from prison with nothing but the clothes on her back. Before being incarcerated Karen was the bank robber of her time, but now she wishes for nothing more than to settle down and start a new life. Unfortunately between a dirty parole officer, old business partners, an idiot ex-husband, and a new partner (Kilmer) she will have to do the unthinkable in order to save her son.
After the murder of his beloved wife, a man (Kilmer) in search of redemption is set adrift in a world where nothing is as it seems. On his journey, he befriends slacker Jimmy “The Finn” (Peter Sarsgaard), becomes involved in rescuing his neighbor Colette (Deborah Kara Unger) from her own demons, and gets entangled in a web of deceit full of unexpected twists and turns.
Simon Templar (Kilmer), is a thief for hire, whose latest job to steal the secret process for cold fusion puts him at odds with a traitor bent on toppling the Russian government, as well as the woman (Elizabeth Shue) who holds its secret.
Sir Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) is behind schedule on a railroad in Africa. Enlisting noted engineer John Henry Patterson (Kilmer) to right the ship, Beaumont expects results. Everything seems great until the crew discovers the mutilated corpse of the project’s foreman, seemingly killed by a lion. After several more attacks, Patterson calls in famed hunter Charles Remington (Michael Douglas), who has finally met his match in the bloodthirsty lions.
Warwick Davis in ‘Willow’. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) hunts the newborn princess Elora Danan (Ruth Greenfield), a child prophesied to bring about her downfall. When the royal infant is found by Willow (Warwick Davis), a timid farmer and aspiring sorcerer, he’s entrusted with delivering her from evil.
An FBI man (Kilmer) with Sioux background is sent to a reservation to help with a murder investigation, where he has to come to terms with his heritage.
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Terrence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) is a New Orleans Police sergeant, who receives a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism during Hurricane Katrina. Due to his heroic act, McDonagh injures his back and becomes addicted to prescription pain medication. He then finds himself involved with a drug dealer who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.
Popular and dashing American singer Nick Rivers (Kilmer) travels to East Germany to perform in a music festival. When he loses his heart to the gorgeous Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutleridge), he finds himself caught up in an underground resistance movement. Rivers joins forces with Agent Cedric (Omar Shariff) and Flammond to attempt the rescue of her father, Dr. Paul, from the Germans, who have captured the scientist in hopes of coercing him into building a new naval mine.
Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Clarence (Christian Slater) marries hooker Alabama (Patricia Arquette), steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.
Batman (Kilmer) must battle a disfigured district attorney and a disgruntled former employee with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat (Chris O’Donnell).
When teenage geniuses Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) and Chris Knight (Kilmer), working on an advanced laser project, learn that the military wants to use it as a weapon, they decide to thwart the plan.
Val Kilmer in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
U.S. government agent Scott (Kilmer) is assigned to rescue the daughter of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get things done, though, Scott is shocked to find that others are willing to go even further to protect a political career.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role…
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliot) to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday (Kilmer) when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
For Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his friend and co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete’s dreams of becoming an ace pilot.
Val Kilmer in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview
Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65.
He was famous for many projects including ‘Top Gun’ and ‘The Doors.’
Kilmer was also part of the select number who have played Batman.
Val Kilmer, a talented actor known for his boyish good looks but chameleonic abilities, has died. He was 65, and had been diagnosed with throat cancer several years ago.
George Cosmatos, who directed Kilmer in ‘Tombstone,’ told the L.A. Times this about the actor in 1993:
“He works harder than most actors to make it look believable. He’s in the ranks of the great actors in America like Pacino or De Niro.”
Val Kilmer in the documentary ‘Val’. Photo: Prime Video.
Val Edward Kilmer, part Cherokee, Irish, German and Swedish, was born on New Year’s Eve 1959 in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth. His father was an aerospace engineer and real estate developer and his mother a housewife — they would end up divorcing when he was 9 — and he had one older brother, one younger.
Wesley, his younger sibling, suffered an epileptic seizure and drowned in a swimming pool at the family home that his father had bought from Western movie legends Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. At the time, Kilmer was about to leave to study acting at Juilliard in New York; he was 17 and the youngest person to be admitted to the school’s drama division.
“It was quite an emotional time for me, and in a way, the extremely high standards and the activity of the school I’m sure were good for me, because I was forced to really challenge myself about my very life, you know — what I believe about life and death.”
Val Kilmer: Film Career
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After reportedly turning down a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Outsiders,’ Kilmer broke out with the lead in 1984 spy spoof ‘Top Secret!,’ in which he played a rock star and sang his own songs.
Following his turn as a brainy college student in the underrated, fondly remembered 1986 sci-fi comedy, ‘Real Genius,’ he became a major star, appearing with Tom Cruise in the worldwide hit ‘Top Gun.’
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He met future wife Joanne Whalley, on the set of Ron Howard’s fantasy film ‘Willow,’ and then appeared with her in ‘Kill Me Again’ in 1989. They would be married from 1988 until their divorce in 1996.
A wide variety of roles followed; Kilmer refusing to simply coast as a handsome movie star.
Frankenheimer, the second director to work on completing the film, reportedly said this:
“There are two things I will never ever do in my whole life. The first is that I will never climb Mt. Everest. The second is that I will never work with Val Kilmer ever again.”
His role as Doc Holliday in 1993’s ‘Tombstone’ was hailed one of his best performances, and in 1995, he appeared in ‘Heat’ alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. For Oliver Stone, he memorably portrayed musician Jim Morrison in ‘The Doors.’
Val Kilmer in ‘Batmen Forever’. Photo: Warner Bros.
After the mid-1990s, the studio roles dwindled amidst his reputation as difficult and combative, and he appeared mostly in independent films and supporting roles such as Stone’s poorly-reviewed ‘Alexander.’
For his acting swan song, he made an emotional, impactful return as Iceman in ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ working with Cruise in one of the movie’s best scenes.
Val Kilmer Reflects
Val Kilmer in the documentary ‘Val’. Photo: Prime Video.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter to publicize ‘Val,’ the documentary about his varied career, he said the following about his career:
“I was too serious. I’d get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way. I would like to have more Oscars than anybody. Meryl Streep must feel pretty good, you know? It must feel nice to know that everyone loves her. It’s about being loved.”
His memoir, ‘I’m Your Huckleberry,’ named for a line in ‘Tombstone,’ was published in 2020.
Kilmer lived for many years on a ranch in New Mexico, where he continued to own land after selling off most of the ranch. He also painted and helped oversee theater programs for high-schoolers to perform Twain and Shakespeare.
He doesn’t have to worry about being fondly regarded.
Kilmer is survived by daughter Mercedes and son, Jack.
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
We feel the need, the need to relive the action of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ right from the comfort of our couches.
The highly anticipated sequel soared into theaters on May 27, 2022, and quickly became the summer movie to see. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% from critics and 99% from the audience, the Tom Cruise-led film has now earned over $1.4 billion worldwide.
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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is a follow-up to the 1986 ‘Top Gun’, directed by Tony Scott. It’s been over 36 years since the original film and even with all the delays due to COVID and scheduling conflicts, fans patiently awaited for it to arrive in theaters. The film centers around Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) who has been ordered to return to Top Gun flight school to train the next group of pilots for a dangerous mission.
The official synopsis for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is below:
“After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.”
Tom Cruise on the set of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
With today’s technology, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ brought the action to new heights. Utilizing practical stunts and gravity-defying flight sequences, the film puts the audience right in the cockpit with heart-dropping drops, rolls, and dives. The actors themselves also experienced g-forces and top-speed flying.
The aviation-action title was nominated in several categories for the 95th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Original Song (performed by Lady Gaga), Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film brought home the Oscar for Best Sound.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Tom Cruise is known for delivering top-tier stunt sequences in his movies often performing the stunts himself, such as hanging on to the door of a commercial aircraft during takeoff in ‘Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’. For ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, while he is an experienced and licensed pilot, Cruise did not actually fly the Boeing F/A 18F Super Hornet jet used in the film. Due to military regulations, the actor flew in the backseat of the aircraft while a Navy pilot controlled the plane. This was the same scenario for the cast. But this doesn’t mean the cast had an easy time – the intense flying sequences require serious training for the actors and Cruise himself designed an intensive three-month training program for the cast to go through prior to filming.
On top of the intense training, the cast had to be their own cinematographer while they were in the air. The F18 aircraft did not allow room for additional crew, and during the flight sequences, director Joseph Kosinski was not able to communicate with the cast or see the footage being filmed. Therefore it was up to the actors to make sure they were framed and lit properly.
Where Can I Watch ‘Top Gun: Maverick’?
The film first premiered at Cinema Con on April 22, 2022. It opened in the US on May 27th and was available in IMAX, 4DX, ScreenX, ad Dolby Cinema. The film earned $126.7 million on its opening weekend. While it’s been almost 10 months since it’s premiere, there are still theaters playing the film, though it is limited. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ below:
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When Will It Be Available To Stream Online?
You can stream ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on Paramount+, with a subscription fee ranging from $5 to $10 monthly, or MGM+ (formerly Epix) for $6 a month. Both services offer free trials for those looking for a new streaming platform.
Additionally, it is also available to rent (pricing varies) or purchase for $19.99 digitally on various platforms.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is available to purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray with over 80 minutes of special features. For the collectors, there’s a limited-edition Steel book available on Amazon.
Please click on the video player below to watch our interviews with actors Danny Ramirez, Lewis Pullman, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Charles Parnell, as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer about ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’
There have been rumors for a while that Michael Mann would be re-visiting his classic 1995 crime thriller ‘Heat’, famous for its action and for the head-to-head criminal-vs-cop meetings of heist expert Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), and Det. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino).
That looked to crystalize into more of a written form when he published a sequel novel, co-written with Meg Gardiner, last August, which has since gone on to become a bestseller.
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And though that might have been the end of it, you could have predicted that that would never happen if a movie studio had anything to do with it.
Cut to today, and now Deadline reports that Warner Bros., which distributed the original, is locking in a deal to make the book into a sequel. And Mann, who has Adam Driver starring in his latest film, about Italian sports car entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, is now looking to cast the actor in the ‘Heat’ sequel.
(L to R) Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
What happens in ‘Heat’?
Mann’s original film follows McCauley, who leads a group of professional bank robbers, taking down major scores around Los Angeles. But after their latest heist goes terribly wrong and ends up in homicide, Det. Hanna finds a clue and becomes obsessed with the case, determined to stop McCauley’s crew.
Hanna and McCauley are competing against each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Although they are on different sides of the law, they still find huge respect, recognition in each other’s troubled personal lives and they understand their competing motivations –– yet they won’t hesitate to do whatever they can to win the battle.
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
‘Heat 2’ as a book tells the story of everything that happens before and after to the principal characters. The book jumps between two time periods, the first following Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer in the original film) as he tries to evade the LAPD and Hanna following the bank robbery gone bad and moves forward into new territory in the tri-border zone and Southeast Asia.
The second storyline takes readers back to Chicago in 1988 when McCauley, Shiherlis and their crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the U.S.–Mexico border, and in Chicago. At the same time, Hanna is cutting his teeth as a rising star in the Chicago police department chasing an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.
The fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative.
While development is at a relatively early stage, we can anticipate Mann heading back to the territory of one of his greatest hits in an interesting new way. And with Driver circling the lead, it’s even more exciting.
Opening in theaters, On Demand and digital January 20th, and on DVD and Blu-ray on February 28th is the new action movie ‘Detective Knight: Independence,’ which is the third and final film in the trilogy from writer/director Edward Drake (‘Breach’).
Hollywood legend Bruce Willis (‘Die Hard,’ ‘Pulp Fiction’) reprises his role as Detective James Knight, who must stop an unhinged former EMT worker (Jack Kilmer) who attempts a bank heist on Independence Day, and takes a hostage (Willow Shields) with close ties to Knight.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jack Kilmer about his work on ‘Detective Knight: Independence,’ his inspiration for the character, the action sequences, working with Bruce Willis, Willow Shields and director Edward Drake, and what it was like playing his father’s role on Disney+’s ‘Willow.’
(L to R) Director Edward Drake and Jack Kilmer in ‘Detective Knight: Independence.’ Photo Credit: Eric Williams.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kilmer and Edward Drake about ‘Detective Knight: Independence Day.’
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your character, Dezi and your inspiration for the role?
Jack Kilmer: Well, a movie we referenced a lot was ‘Joker.’ Dezi is this anti-hero vigilante. He echoes a lot of the incel people that are unfortunately around in this day and age. For me, it was things like ‘Taxi Driver,’ and ‘Bad Lieutenant.’ We had Bruce Willis, so when we started we had a superhero amongst us. We started in this superhero land, and then we took it and ran with it.
I was talking with Ed and we were like “This is a real opportunity to make something really gritty and real, and something a lot of people can relate to in this country right now.” We just had the anniversary of January 6th. We even shot this movie not long after all of that stuff went down. We had tons of ideas about who this guy was and what American this guy was. Where do Americans go when they snap, when they lose their minds? What does that look like?
I don’t know where he is politically, this character. I didn’t align him with any particular political party. He consumes a lot of stuff on the internet, he’s very paranoid, he’s an outsider, and he is not accepted in society. I think a lot of people can at least relate to that. I don’t think the film points one direction. You root for him, and he’s an underdog in a way. Dezi is actually somewhat redeemable of a person and you get to watch him spiral and unravel.
You just root for him. The movie is from the perspective of the villain, which is unique. He’s just a person that’s really sick and suffering, and very paranoid, and you can see how along the way how gets there. What that brings up for me is that there’s a lot of people in this country that I would love to sit down and talk with, no matter what political position they take. Sometimes it’s good to unite, to come together even though you have different political views to someone else, and sit and talk to them because maybe you guys align on more than you think.
MF: Can you talk about Dezi’s relationship with Ally and working with Willow Shields?
Jack Kilmer: Willow is lovely and an absolute pleasure to work with. She really brought it. There’s a scene in the movie where we have a showdown with Mr. Bruce Willis and man, she brought it in that scene. For the character of Dezi, she’s the light and the anchor of the whole movie. She brings all the humanity to Dezi.
MF: What’s it like working with a legend like Bruce Willis?
JK: Well, he is a legend, and a boss, and a king. He shows up and he is Bruce Willis, and you know that.
Bruce Willis as James Knight in ‘Detective Knight: Independence.’ Photo Credit: Eric Williams.
MF: What did you learn from watching him work?
JK: Let me just say this. He could say anything, and it’s so powerful and effective. I don’t know where it comes from but the guy can deliver lines in an extremely powerful and effective way, and it’s all in him. That “Bruce Willis” is just in him and everyone’s energy changes when he’s around, and that’s a real thing. He’s a real star and a real celebrity from a time when you could be a massive star. He is that.
I was thinking about that today, Gorillaz is one of my favorite bands and he was in the Gorillaz music video when I was in middle school. The length of his career and thinking about how huge a star from my generation and the ’80s he is. I was like what? That’s so crazy!
MF: Can you talk about the weapons training you had for the movie and what was the most challenging action sequence for you to shoot?
JK: As far as the gun training, we practiced the utmost safety around all of those weapons, even though they were already modified to be as safe as possible with plugged barrels and blank rounds. They were completely safe and looked after at all times. I grew up around guns in New Mexico, so I take that very seriously from shooting target practice with my dad. It was a lot of fun to just blast off rounds.
However, like we’ve been talking about, 2021 was a time in history that was very scary for a lot of people, so I didn’t want to pick up a gun first thing in the morning. There’s also some fun elements to that as well. The hardest thing for me on this shoot was just the way we shot the whole thing in eight days.
That was the hardest thing about this movie because it really was eight days. It was a full feature length shot in eight days. So we were doing five, six pages a day of the script. That was really hard, but their whole distribution method and their way of shooting these movies, it works somehow.
That’s because they work really hard. Edward Drake, the director, it’s really remarkable how the guy makes these movies. I’ve never seen anything like it. If he got a bigger budget, I can imagine he what he could do with that and it would be amazing because he’s one of the most creative and hardworking people I’ve ever met.
MF: What’s it like shooting a movie in eight days and what was it like collaborating on this project with Edward Drake?
JK: On any set there’s days where you feel the pressure and get stressed. It was only until after we had wrapped the movie that I talked to Ed, and he told me, “Okay, I really felt the pressure for that.” He held it down. Everyone held it down and just worked super hard.
MF: Finally, what was it like for you to join the cast of Disney+’s ‘Willow’ series voicing your father’s role from the original movie and working with Jake Kasdan on the project?
JK: It was so epic. I love ‘Willow.’ My parents met on ‘Willow.’ Jonathan Kasdan is obsessed with the fact that both my parents are in the movie. He’s a lovely guy. We were emailing back and forth for a long time and he’s just fascinated that I exist and that my mom’s in the series. He just had so many questions for me.
My dad has health issues and basically, Jonathan was like, “Can you come help with some wild lines, and can you come help me with this in the edit?” I was like “Sure. I’ll come and do that.” But it ended up being really special because we just sat and talked about Madmartigan and the whole legacy and everything.
Bruce Willis as James Knight in ‘Detective Knight: Independence.’ Photo Credit: Eric Williams.
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The movie picks up 36 years after the original, and centers on an older Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) who is ordered to return to the TOPGUN flight school to train a group of the Navy’s best pilots for a dangerous secret mission.
The result is an exhilarating sequel that relies only a bit on nostalgia but also creates new characters and situations to test its lead character, played commandingly by Cruise, and features some of the best flying sequences ever captured on film.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Set 36 years after the original, we are reintroduced to Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise), who is still in the Navy, but has only achieved the rank of Captain due to his infamous insubordination. Maverick is surprised to be called back to his old flight school, TOPGUN, by Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Kilmer), in order to train the best pilots in the Navy for a dangerous secret mission.
But Maverick soon discovers that the son of his ex-partner Goose (Edwards in archive footage), Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Teller), is one of his new students and now Maverick must decide if he is willing to put Rooster’s life at risk or protect him as his father would have wanted.
Meanwhile, Maverick must deal with his commanding officer, Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (Hamm), as well as revisiting a past relationship with Penny Benjamin (Connelly), “the Admiral’s daughter” that was briefly mentioned in the original film. As Maverick and Rooster come to terms with their anger towards each other, Mitchell must get the recruits ready for the mission of their life.
Of all the 1980’s blockbuster movies, ‘Top Gun’ is the “Holy Grail” of recognizable intellectual property to never be tapped for sequels, which is why the franchise was so ripe for a follow-up now. In a world where movies based on popular IP rule, Tom Cruise was wise to revisit the character of Maverick in a ‘Top Gun’ sequel as creating franchises out of ‘Jack Reacher’ and ‘The Mummy’ failed to work, and the actor can’t just make ‘Mission: impossible’ movies the rest of his life!
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
But unlike other recent “legacy sequels” such as ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ or ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ ‘Maverick’ does not rely on the nostalgia factor quite as much. In fact, with the exception of Tom Cruise, (and archive footage appearances from Anthony Edwards and Meg Ryan), Val Kilmer is the only other actor from the original to appear in the sequel.
While the nostalgia kicks in during the opening credits, as soon as you hear the famous ‘Top Gun’ theme, the movie doesn’t rely on nostalgia for story, outside of the main conflict between Maverick and Rooster. That allows the sequel to be its own thing, while capitalizing on the love we all have for the original, and Tom Cruise as Maverick.
But I do wish there were a few more tie-ins to the first film, like bringing back recognizable actors such as Adrian Pasdar or Oscar-winner Tim Robbins to play Maverick’s contemporaries who rose in the Naval ranks while he didn’t. Instead new series actors Jon Hamm and Charles Parnell are cast in those parts, and while effort is made to explain their connection to Maverick, it would have been easier to use characters we were already familiar with.
And while actress Kelly McGillis was missed, Jennifer Connelly was a welcomed addition as Maverick’s love interest Penny, who actually has a connection to the first film. Penny is the “Admiral’s daughter,” the same Admiral’s daughter that Goose mentions Maverick had a fling with in the original movie. While the romantic scenes are not as “steamy” as they were in the original, they are sweet, and demonstrate how Maverick has matured through the years.
Jennifer Connelly plays Penny Benjamin in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Of the returning cast, Val Kilmer is absolutely wonderful as now Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. While the actor was unable to speak much of his dialogue due to an illness from cancer, the filmmakers brilliantly wove that into the character’s own history, which helped drive the story. Kilmer has a very touching scene with Cruise, and it is one of the best moments of the film.
Director Joseph Kosinski, who previously worked with Cruise on the criminally underrated ‘Oblivion,’ does amazing work here capturing some of the best flying sequences ever on film. Cruise and the other actors actually trained as pilots to prepare for the movie and are really up in the air in those jets when we see them on screen. There were no green screens or visual effects, just real actors capturing their actual expressions in those moments. We would expect nothing less from Tom Cruise at this point, but as a filmmaker, Kosinski pulled off those sequences beautifully.
Kosinski also pulls back on the nostalgia by wisely not recreating the “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” scene, and replacing the beach volley ball scene, with a game of football instead. Although, it would have been nice to hear a few of the old Kenny Loggins songs that were so memorable from the original.
But my biggest complaint is the strange “Fade to Black” dissolves that are littered throughout the film. It was a weird way to end a scene, and Kosinski does it repeatedly, almost as if they were laying in where the commercials will go once the film plays on cable TV in a few years. It was an odd choice, that otherwise does not hurt the overall enjoyment of the film.
Miles Teller plays Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
After his work in the mini-series ‘The Offer,’ and now ‘Maverick,’ actor Miles Teller is really on a roll. He is perfectly cast as Rooster, and even resembles Anthony Edwards a bit. Teller gives a spunky performance and has great chemistry with Cruise. His inner-turmoil over his father’s death, and his perceived betrayal by Maverick, fuels the conflict of the film. Also excellent from the new cast is ‘Hidden Figures’ actor Glen Powell who plays Hangman, Rooster’s rival and the Iceman to his Maverick.
But ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ simply works because we all love Tom Cruise in this role! Whether you saw ‘Top Gun’ for the first time in the 80s or years later, the movie is part of our culture and seeing Cruise return to this role after all these years is a complete thrill. It’s interesting to see the character now in his late 50s and compare him to the confident 24-year old character he was in the original.
Cruise still portrays all the charm and arrogance we remember Maverick possessing in his youth, but also reveals a relic of a man, who is grappling with a changing world that could soon find him obsolete. Those are very heavy ideas to take on in a summer blockbuster, but Cruise and Kosinski were more than up for the challenge and certainly succeed on several different levels.
In the end, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is a rare legacy sequel, one that is more interested in telling a new story about a beloved character that has changed since the original, and less concerned with playing the greatest hits from its predecessor.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Boasting the bell-laced strains of Harold Faltermeyer’s iconic theme tune, Tom Cruise’s winning grin, hints of beach volleyball and plenty of planes screaming through the sky, the team behind ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ are clearly pushing the nostalgia levels far into the danger zone with the latest trailer for the movie.
But, if we’re truly honest… It really does seem to work, as those who remember the halcyon early days of Tom Cruise’s elevation to stardom will have their memory towers buzzed at the sight of Cruise back in a cockpit, a brief glimpse of Val Kilmer’s Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (now a Navy Admiral) and a few references to dear, departed Goose (Anthony Edwards in the 1986 original), who well and truly lost that loving feeling when he died during a training mission.
For those who’ve never watched the first film? Well, there’s still a young, good-looking cast playing a pack of new best-of-the-best hotshot pilots, who are unconvinced that anyone can teach them new tricks. Cue an old dog who refuses to stay grounded and some unconventional lessons with some impressive (and often entirely practical) set pieces.
This new look at the movie delves a little deeper into the story for the long-anticipated (and oft-delayed) sequel: Cruise’s Pete Mitchell is still pushing the boundaries as a pilot, irking his superiors, and refusing promotions that will jettison him from the cockpit and reduce him to desk duty.
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So, Jon Hamm’s Vice Admiral Cyclone is somewhat reluctantly cajoled by Kazansky (only shown in portrait form so far) into bringing Maverick back into the Top Gun fold. And yes, there are reasons to be worried, since who knows what cocky bad habits this new tutor could drill into his class?
There’s drama for Maverick too, though, as Goose’s son, Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller) is among the fliers attending the Navy’s top pilot program – and he’s none too happy to have the man he holds responsible for his father’s death back in his life.
With Joseph Kosinski taking on the directing command this time, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s new cast includes Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Danny Ramirez, Lewis Pullman and Jay Ellis as the young fliers, Ed Harris as a no doubt disapproving Rear Admiral and Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin, a local bar owner who becomes the latest person to attempt to take Maverick’s breath away in lurve. Will there be billowing curtains and a Berlin cover by someone more recent on the musical front? Only time will tell.
We don’t know yet whether audiences are ready for more Cruise outside of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise, though surely ‘Top Gun’ carries enough weight to be less of a risky business proposition than something brand new?
We’ll find that answer out when ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ goes wheels down at last in theaters on May 27th.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ opens in theaters on May 27th.
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