"Miami Vice" Reboot Gets Official Title

Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler‘s “Miami Vice” reboot has received a new title, “Miami Vice ’85.”

The Universal film, from “F1” and “Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski, is scheduled for release on August 6, 2027. 

Production on the movie, which will be filmed for Imax, will commence later this year.

Jordan, the newly minted best actor Oscar winner, will star as Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, with Oscar nominee Butler playing James “Sonny” Crockett. (Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson first portrayed the suave South Florida detectives in the classic 80s TV series; then Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx starred in the first big-screen adaptation, 2006’s “Miami Vice,” directed by Michael Mann.)

Jordan and Butler were in talks to star in the film last year. “Michael is someone I’ve admired for a long time, [and] always wanted to work with him. Austin, I think, is proving himself as someone to watch. Again, I’ve just have really admired his choices,” Kosinski told Variety at the time, explaining why the duo topped his wish list. “If it ends up being those two, I’d be very lucky.”

Indeed, Jordan and Butler joined the production at the top of their respective games. Jordan won the Academy Award, SAG-AFTRA’s Actor Award and two NAACP Awards for his dual-performance in Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster hit “Sinners.” Next, he stars in, directs and produces a reimagining of “The Thomas Crown Affair” for Amazon MGM Studios, the sexy trailer for which electrified the CinemaCon audience.

Butler added Baz Luhmrann to his list of collaborations with auteur filmmakers (and a best actor Oscar nod) with his transformative performance as Elvis Presley in “Elvis.” 

Since then, Butler starred in films for Denis Villeneuve (“Dune: Part Two”), Jeff Nichols (“The Bikeriders”), Darren Aronofsky (“Caught Stealing”) and Ari Aster (“Eddington”). Butler will next star in the A24 crime thriller “Enemies” with Jeremy Allen White. 

Per the film’s logline, “Miami Vice ’85” will explore “the glamour and corruption of mid-80’s Miami” and is “inspired by the pilot episode and first season of the landmark television series that influenced culture and set the style of everything from fashion to filmmaking.”

Dan Gilroy penned the script, based on characters created by Anthony Yerkovich from the TV series, which was executive produced by Yerkovich and Mann. Eric Warren Singer wrote an earlier draft of the screenplay.

Dylan Clark (for Dylan Clark Productions) and Kosinski serve as producers on the film. Executive VP of production development Sara Scott and creative executive of production development Christina Hoffrogge will oversee the project for the studio.