“Heat 2” has found its Kelso.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach is in final talks to play Kelso, a character originated by the late, great Tom Noonan in Michael Mann’s 1995 original, TheWrap has learned. Guy Pearce was considered for the role before Mann and the team decided to go with Moss-Bachrach, an insider said.
Amazon MGM Studios declined to comment.
Mann returns for the sequel, which begins shooting in November. Moss-Bachrach joins an already all-star cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, who will play thief Chris Shiherlis (originally played by Val Kilmer); Christian Bale, who will play Vincent Hanna, the dogged LAPD Robbery Homicide detective (originally played by Al Pacino); and Stephen Graham, who will play thief Neil McCauley (originally played by Robert De Niro).
Additionally Odessa Young will play Charlene (originally played by Ashley Judd) and newcomer María Cid is in talks to play Gabi (a new character for the sequel). Contrary to reports, “Obsession” breakout Inde Navarrette was not in the mix.
Moss-Bachrach is a two-time Emmy winner for his work on Hulu’s critically acclaimed series “The Bear,” which just wrapped its fifth and final season. He is also a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having played Ben Grimm in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” a role he will return to in “Avengers: Doomsday,” out this Christmas. (He will also appear in next year’s “Avengers: Secret Wars”). He also just appeared in “Dog Day Afternoon” on Broadway, starring alongside Jon Bernthal in an adaptation of Sidney Lumet’s 1975 classic.
“Heat 2” is both a sequel to the 1995 film and an adaptation of the novel by Mann and Meg Gardiner that was published by HarperCollins back in 2022. The novel is partially set in both South America and Southeast Asia and was an international bestseller, sparking renewed interest in Mann and the “Heat” universe.
Now, “Heat 2” is finally headed into production. It’s been a long and winding road, with “Heat 2” going from Warner Bros. into a deal that saw Paramount and Sony co-producing the movie before finally winding up at Amazon MGM Studios.
Jerry Bruckheimer and United Artists’ Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt are producing “Heat 2” and executive producers are Shane Salerno and Eric Roth, both screenwriters who have worked with Mann for many years. “Heat 2” marks Bruckheimer and Mann’s first collaboration in 45 years, since “Thief,” Mann’s first theatrical feature.
“Heat” went on to make $187.4 million on a budget of $60 million and is considered one of the greatest heist films of all time.
Moss-Bachrach is repped by WME.
