LOS ANGELES, November 14, 2026 — New Regency filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court on Friday seeking to block Michael Mann from reclaiming the copyright to the *Heat* screenplay. The studio argues the 1995 crime classic was a work made for hire, rendering it ineligible for termination under federal copyright law.
The Studio’s Position
In its complaint, New Regency asked a judge to declare three termination notices Mann served earlier this year null and void. The studio contends the screenplay is not subject to termination under 17 U.S.C. § 203 because Mann wrote it as a work made for hire, a status the complaint says Mann acknowledged repeatedly in written agreements he signed personally and on behalf of companies he controlled. New Regency argues the notices cloud its title to the screenplay and impair its ability to develop, finance, and license derivative works, noting that certain provisions in agreements with Amazon regarding *Heat 2* depend on the litigation’s outcome.
Mann’s Counterclaim
A spokesperson for Mann said the director is exercising his statutory right under the Copyright Act to reclaim original writing he performed on multiple screenplays during the 1980s that evolved into *Heat*. The spokesperson stated Mann is confident the courts will vindicate his rights and characterized the legal dispute as unrelated to the upcoming sequel. Mann wrote, produced, and directed the original film, which starred Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
The *Heat 2* Timeline
The lawsuit arrives ahead of *Heat 2* production, which is scheduled to begin filming on January 19. Mann will write and direct the sequel, based on his 2022 novel co-written with Meg Gardiner. The project serves as both a prequel and sequel to the original film.
Sources
- New Regency Sues Michael Mann to Retain Rights to ‘Heat’
- New Regency Sues Michael Mann to Reassert Ownership of ‘Heat’
- New Regency Suing Over Mann's "Heat"
- New Regency Sues Michael Mann to Reassert Ownership of ‘Heat’
- New Regency Sues Mann Over Heat Screenplay Rights
Photo: Raph_PH (CC BY 2.0)
