Heat (1995 film)

Heat is a 1995 American crime film written and directed by Michael Mann. It features an ensemble cast led by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, with Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Wes Studi, Jon Voight, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, and Danny Trejo in supporting roles. The film follows the conflict between an LAPD detective (played by Pacino) and a career criminal (played by De Niro) while also depicting its effect on their professional relationships and personal lives.

Mann wrote the original script for Heat in 1979, basing it on Chicago police officer Chuck Adamson's pursuit of criminal Neil McCauley, after whom De Niro's character is named. The script was first used for a television pilot developed by Mann, which became the 1989 television film L.A. Takedown after the pilot did not receive a series order. In 1994, Mann revisited the script to turn it into a feature film, co-producing the project with Art Linson. The film marks De Niro and Pacino's second film collaboration after The Godfather Part II and their first on-screen appearance together following a period of acclaimed performances from both. Due to their esteemed reputations, promotion centered on their involvement.

Heat was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 15, 1995, to critical and commercial success. It grossed $187 million on a $60 million budget, while receiving positive reviews for Mann's direction and screenplay, action sequences, sound mixing, and the performances of Pacino and De Niro. The film is regarded as one of the most influential films of its genre and has inspired several other works. A sequel was announced to be in development on July 20, 2022.