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A viral video of Austin Butler training with guns has fans believing that the actor has been cast in Michael Mann's highly-anticipated film Heat 2. In the video circulating online, the Elvis star can be seen loading and unloading guns at a fast rate, eventually aiming and shooting at targets.
The video was first uploaded on social media earlier this morning by Taran Tactical, a company that provides firearms, accessories, and gun training. The 44-second clip has fueled speculations that Butler is preparing for his role in the new Heat movie, for which fans have been waiting for over 30 years. However, no official announcement has been made to confirm the news.
Heat 2 is described as both a sequel and prequel to the 1995 crime film directed by Michael Mann about the rivalry between a thief and a detective. While there has been no update on its production, the film is rumored to begin filming this year.
Austin Butler is currently making headlines for his role in the sci-fi film Dune: Part Two.
What does Austin Butler do in the video?
The social media pages of Taran Tactical Innovations uploaded a 44-second video on March 4, showcasing Austin Butler's involvement in gun training. Decked from head to toe in black with a blue cap, the actor is seen pulling a gun out of his holster and arming it at record speed.
The clip also shows Butler loading and unloading magazines in and out of his gun at a rapid pace, later cutting to him shooting targets at a shooting range. He is accompanied by actress and trained shooter Tetiana Gaiber in the video. USPSA Multigun National Tactical Champion, Taran Tactical, who also works as a firearms instructor in Hollywood can also be seen in the clip.
Fans are convinced that Austin is preparing for a role in a film, with many believing the project to be Heat 2 due to the involvement of firearms. Butler is rumored to play Val Kilmer's character in the second part of the movie.
Austin Butler recently starred in Dune: Part Two, where he played the role of antagonist Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. The movie and his performance are being acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, with fans hoping to see the actor in the new Heat film soon.
What is Heat 2 about?
The first Heat film was released back in 1995 to enormous critical and commercial success. The action-crime film starred Al Pacino and Robert De Niro as two men on opposite spectrums of law, joined by a supporting cast of Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore, among others. Inspired by the true story of notorious criminal Neil McCauley, the film is considered to be a classic and has inspired other films and video games alike.
Michael Mann announced Heat 2 as his next project during a panel discussion for Deadline Hollywood back in October 2023, leading fans to immediately speculate about the cast. An adaptation of his 2022 collaborative novel with Meg Gardiner, the film is said to be set both before and after the events of the first movie.
According to Goodreads,
"leads up to the events of the film and then moves beyond it, featuring new characters on both sides of the law, new high-line heists, and breathtakingly cinematic action sequences... Heat 2 illuminates the dangerous workings of international crime organizations and the agents who pursue them as it provides a full-blooded portrait of the men and women who inhabit both worlds."
This gives a glimpse into the plot of the film which has been described as both a prequel and sequel by Mann.
Who could be in the cast of Heat 2?
Although there has been no official announcement regarding the cast of the movie, director Michael Mann revealed in a Variety interview that he had been eyeing Star Wars actor Adam Driver for one of the leading roles. He said:
"Adam and I talked about it extensively from before the strike began when we were still shooting Ferrari. I wanted him to play the Robert De Niro character."
No confirmation has been provided yet if Driver will indeed be part of the cast. Blonde star Ana de Armas is rumored to play the female lead. As for who will be playing the younger version of Al Pacino's character, the 83-year-old actor endorsed Austin Butler's Dune: Part Two co-star Timothée Chalamet. According to Variety, he described Chalamet as "a wonderful actor. Great looks."
It is yet to be revealed if Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet will be reunited for Mann's project. Meanwhile, both actors can be seen in Dune: Part Two, which is currently running in theaters worldwide.
