Heat 1995

Heat is a 1995 American epic crime film written and directed by Michael Mann. It features an ensemble cast, starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, William Fichtner, Natalie Portman, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Jon Voight, Danny Trejo, Dennis Haysbert, and Val Kilmer. In the film, LAPD detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) attempts to apprehend career thief Neil McCauley (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 first on-screen appearance together: the film's promotion centered heavily on the actors' involvement. Heat was theatrically released in the United States by Warner Bros.