Filmmaker Michael Mann is ready to bring cutting-edge technology into his long-awaited sequel, Heat 2. The acclaimed director, known for classics like The Last of the Mohicans and Collateral, revealed that he’s open to exploring artificial intelligence and digital de-ageing for the upcoming film.

Speaking at a recent masterclass, Mann said he doesn’t use technology for the sake of it but rather when the story demands it. “I don’t experiment with technology gratuitously. When I have a dramatic or aesthetic need for it, then I go deep into what I need,” he explained, adding that “ageing and de-ageing may be very important in the next film.”

According to Variety, the filmmaker confirmed that Heat 2, which serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 1995 crime masterpiece, is expected to begin production next summer. The story will shift between timelines, exploring the lives of its central characters both before and after the events of the original film.

Mann also shared new details about the movie’s production and studio backing. The project, initially set up at Warner Bros., has now moved to Amazon MGM’s United Artists, with producer Scott Stuber attached. “It’s an expensive movie to make, but I believe it should be made at the proper size and scale,” Mann said. “It’s going to shoot in Chicago, Los Angeles, Paraguay, and possibly some parts in Singapore.”

Despite its hefty budget, the director confirmed that the film will receive a full theatrical release. “We moved from Warner Brothers to Amazon and United Artists, but it will be released theatrically in the United States, probably in about 4,000 cinemas,” he stated.

Mann, who was recently honoured with the Lumière Award by French actor Isabelle Huppert, described Heat 2as a complex project that requires the right conditions to execute. “People make dramas at a certain budget level because of the costs, not because of anybody being greedy,” he explained. “If it was at a lower price, I could have made it anywhere. But it’s complex.”