For the past few weeks, the internet has been in a tizzy over rumors that “Obsession” breakout Inde Navarrette turned down a plum role in Michael Mann’s feverishly anticipated “Heat 2,” where she would have worked alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. Instead, the rumors go, she chose to play Jubilee in Marvel Studios’ rebooted “X-Men” franchise starter, to be directed by Jake Schreier.
But TheWrap has exclusively learned that Navarrette was never offered the role in “Heat 2,” and thus did not turn down the sequel to make “X-Men.” She had a single meeting with Mann, but it never went any further.
“It’s simply untrue,” said “Heat 2” executive producer Shane Salerno.
Adam Driver, another “X-Men” cast member, is deep in talks to play one of the chief antagonists, Wardell, in “Heat 2.” If Driver could make both movies work, schedule-wise, couldn’t Navarrette?
So no, she didn’t turn down a role in “Heat 2” for “X-Men,” but she’ll be just fine. In addition to the Marvel reboot, Navarrette, whose “Obsession” character Nikki will soon be stalking guests of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando and Hollywood, has been getting Oscar buzz for her role in the horror blockbuster. The film became a word-of-mouth phenomenon earlier this summer and is now the highest-grossing original movie of the 2020s with over $500 million.
And in other “Heat 2” news, Odessa Young (“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”) and María Cid are in talks for the female leads of the movie, TheWrap has also learned.
Young would play Charlene, who was played by Ashley Judd in the 1995 original, the girlfriend of Val Kilmer’s character. Cid would play Gabi, a new character in the franchise and the daughter of Neil McCauley’s girlfriend.
As TheWrap exclusively reported, Bale will play Vincent Hanna, the dogged LAPD Robbery Homicide detective played by Al Pacino in the original film, while DiCaprio will play Chris Shiherlis, who was played by Val Kilmer.
“Heat 2” serves as both the sequel to Mann’s 1995 crime epic and an adaptation of the bestselling novel that was co-authored by Meg Gardiner. Jerry Bruckheimer is producing the sequel, which marks his first collaboration with Mann since 1981’s “Thief,” alongside United Artists’ Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt. Executive producers are Shane Salerno and Eric Roth.
Production on Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists’ “Heat 2” is scheduled to begin in November.
Deadline first reported the news of Young and Cid’s involvement.
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