Austin Butler Has Long Been Rumored To Take Over Val Kilmer’s Part In Heat 2

When Heat 2 eventually comes out, it will serve as both a prequel and sequel to one of the best heist films of all time. That means younger versions of characters like Rober De Niro’s Neil McCauley and Val Kilmer’s Chris Shiherlis are going to need to be cast. I could go on an on about all those Adam Driver rumors, but for the sake of this story, I’ll just focus on Austin Butler reportedly being the top choice for Shiherlis in his younger days.

Throughout much of 2024, outlets like Deadline have reported that the Golden Globe winner is being eyed for the part, and those reports were given some credibility when footage of Butler going through weapons training (via GamesRadar) surfaced a few months ago. However, the actor has gone to great lengths to avoid giving a straight answer, as seen during an interview conducted by CinemaBlend’s Mike Reyes ahead of The Bikeriders’ release.

I’m not going to say it’s a sure thing that Butler will be playing Shiherlis in Heat 2, because you know how those things go, but I still think it’s a real possibility.