Al Pacino & Robert De Niro’s 90s Crime Movie Classic Heat Is Getting A 2026 Revival Thanks To Netflix
Zoë Miskelly is an editor and second in command for Screen Rant's Movies team, having covered the entertainment industry for almost 10 years now. Zoë's love of superheroes and all things Marvel & DC started out in childhood, and has blossomed into a career getting to talk about some of the biggest and best movies and shows of all time, having previously focused on comics while working at WhatCulture.
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Al Pacino and Robert De Niro's 90s crime drama that has gone down in history as one of the best movies in the genre is getting a new lease on life thanks to Netflix and its ever-shifting film roster. The filmic reputations of both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are hard for any other actor in the world to contend with, given the decades-long pedigree of both figures' filmographies.
For Al Pacino, his roles in the likes of The Godfather, Serpico, Scent of a Woman, and Ocean's Thirteen cemented him as a major fixture of the world of movies decades prior, though he's had plenty of newer major roles too, as can be seen by his performances in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and House of Gucci.
Robert De Niro's own tenure in the movie world is similarly impressive, thanks to his own role in The Godfather series, as well as his appearances in Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, and Cape Fear, with similarly impressive modern features too in The Irishman and Killers of The Flower Moon. Given the extensive film hits both actors have played key roles in, it's arguably a better time than ever to revisit one of their iconic first joint venture, especially since Netflix has opened up the door for a new way to enjoy the film from the comfort of your own home in 2026.
Heat Is Coming To Netflix Today
Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are each some of the most famous actors of all time in their own right, so it's a major experience to get to see them acting side by side in the kind of epic crime drama they both excel in.
Heat sees Pacino and De Niro on opposite sides of the law, as Pacino's LAPD detective Vincent Hanna hunts De Niro's career criminal Neil McCauley, following his involvement in a robbery wherein he and his crew rob $1.6 million worth of bearer bonds. Of course, this puts pressure on the LAPD to catch those involved, and places McCauley in similar tension in terms of being able to continue his criminal exploits while plotting to murder the brutal serial killer he's discovered is a part of his team.
The strength of Heat's story - which explores the topic of morality, and whether those involved in such tumultuous dealings can maintain personal relationships - is one that's undeniably cemented by the talent of its cast. As such, Heat's lasting reputation as one of the best crime movies of all time is no shock, though it's still a film that's perhaps less well-known compared to crime movie monoliths like The Godfather or Goodfellas.
With this in mind, Heat's arrival on Netflix on October 16 also feels decidedly par for the course, given the platform aims to keep a healthy roster of major movie classics on its roster at all times, and Heat certainly falls into that category.
Why Heat Is Worth Watching (Or Rewatching) On Netflix
While Heat is an obvious must-watch for those who love crime movies, it's also a film that is a worthwhile watch or rewatch for those who aren't as invested in the genre specifically.
Heat hinges around the world of crime and the lives of those embroiled in it, but it's also a movie that is in many ways more interested in exploring broader moral matters overall. For example, the story of McCauley is made more engrossing by the fact he's a career criminal who still takes objection to one of his crew ending lives, and in doing so encourages viewers to think about the complexity of morality in a more layered way.
There's also a lot of nuance in the movie that makes it further worth revisiting, since the three-dimensional arcs of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro's lead characters are as interesting to witness while knowing what happens next as they are for the first time - as many reviews attest to - meaning Heat is all the stronger of a Netflix pick in this regard too.
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