Austin Butler addresses Heat 2 rumors and teases his new Western from Hereditary director

Austin Butler has addressed those Heat 2 rumors – and, while he may be keeping mum on that movie for now, he can share a little something about his upcoming Western, Eddington, directed by Ari Aster.

"Yeah, I… I mean, I love the first film, but no comment on that," Butler tells Total Film in our new issue out on Thursday, May 23, which features Twisters on the cover, when talk turns to the Heat sequel rumors.  

Butler is rumored to be playing Chris Shiherlis, the right-hand man of career thief Neil McCauley, and the role played by Val Kilmer in the original movie. Heat 2 will act as both a prequel and a sequel to the 1995 crime drama, with Michael Mann back in the director's chair and Adam Driver reportedly taking over from Robert De Niro to play McCauley. 

A project he can talk about, however, is Eddington, the next movie from the director of Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau is Afraid. "I’m really excited about Eddington," Butler says. "I mean, the cast is stacked with people I’ve always dreamed of working with. And it’s also from the mind of Ari Aster, who is truly brilliant and completely singular. He’s come up with something here that I think is really, really unique and exciting."

Next up for Butler, though, is The Bikeriders, which follows the exploits of a Chicago biker gang in the '60s. Butler is one of its members, wildcard Benny, while Jodie Comer is his love interest Kathy and Tom Hardy is gang leader Johnny.

• Pre-order the Twisters issue of Total Film

The Bikeriders is released on June 21. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, May 23.

Check out the covers below:

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