MIAMI VICE -- Season 2 -- Pictured: (l-r) Don Johnson as Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett, Philip Michael Thomas as Det. Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs (Photo by NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Universal Pictures is dialing back the clock for its highly anticipated Miami Vice reboot. The studio has officially confirmed that the big-screen reimagining of the iconic television cop drama has been titled Miami Vice ’85.
Alongside the definitive period-piece title, Universal finalized major casting and production details for the blockbuster, locking in two of Hollywood’s biggest modern stars to lead the neon-soaked thriller. Newly minted Best Actor Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan (Creed) and Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis) have signed on the dotted line to play the suave undercover detective duo.
Jordan will step into the shoes of Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, while Butler will don the pastel suits of James “Sonny” Crockett.
Leaning Hard into 80s Nostalgia
The updated title, Miami Vice ’85, serves as a deliberate creative statement. Unlike Michael Mann’s grittily modern 2006 film adaptation starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, this reboot is aggressively steering the franchise back to its vintage, synth-fueled roots.
According to Universal’s official logline, the film will directly explore “the glamour and corruption of mid-80s Miami.” The narrative is heavily inspired by the original pilot episode and the first season of the landmark 1984–1989 NBC television series created by Anthony Yerkovich, which fundamentally revolutionized pop culture, men’s fashion, and cinematic television music.
A Directing Powerhouse at the Helm
Universal has handed the keys of the Ferrari Testarossa to director Joseph Kosinski, a filmmaker who has proven himself uniquely adept at resurrecting classic 1980s properties. Having previously directed the multi-billion-dollar global juggernaut Top Gun: Maverick and the upcoming racing thriller F1, Kosinski intends to capture the scale of the Florida coast by shooting the entire film for IMAX layout.
Kosinski noted that landing Jordan and Butler was the ultimate coup for the production.
”Michael is someone I’ve admired for a long time, and always wanted to work with him,” Kosinski previously shared with Variety. “Austin, I think, is proving himself as someone to watch. Again, I’ve just really admired his choices. If it ends up being those two, I’d be very lucky.”
Launch Timeline and Creative Team
The script for the reboot was penned by acclaimed screenwriter Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler), building upon an earlier draft by Eric Warren Singer. Dylan Clark (The Batman) is attached to produce alongside Kosinski under Dylan Clark Productions.
With Miami Vice ’85 scheduled to hit theaters globally on August 6, 2027, principal photography is fast-tracked to begin in Miami toward the end of this year, promising to blend classic 80s aesthetics with massive modern action scale.
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