Well, it’s official. Universal Pictures is moving forward with a new Miami Vice movie, which is now titled “Miami Vice ’85,” with Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler having finally closed their deals to star as the detective duo Tubbs and Crockett.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, “Miami Vice ‘85” will be shot for IMAX and is scheduled for release on August 6, 2027. According to Deadline, Kosinski’s reboot will reimagine the world of the original series, focusing on the stylized, neon-lit Miami of the mid-1980s and drawing inspiration from the show’s pilot episode from the first season.
The screenplay is by Dan Gilroy (“Nightcrawler”), with earlier drafts by Eric Warren Singer, and executive production from original series co-creators Anthony Yerkovich and Michael Mann. Production is expected to begin in summer 2026.
Who is the villain? There have been rumors that Tom Cruise might sign on as the antagonist, and his summer schedule is reportedly open. He’s also very familiar with Joseph Kosinski, who previously directed him in “Oblivion” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Michael Mann attempted a cinematic interpretation of “Miami Vice” in 2006, starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell. The film grossed $165M worldwide against a $135M budget. The film was at the time seen as a flop.
Yet despite the on-set drama, the initially bad reviews, and Mann, Farrell publicly disowning it, the 2006 “Miami Vice” reappraisal is very real. Ninteen years after its release, it’s found a major cult following. In our critics poll tackling the best films of the 2000s, the film finished in 38th place.
Kosinski is coming off the $600M+ success of “F1,” starring Brad Pitt. He also has an untitled UFO whistleblower thriller in the works at Apple. His other notable credits include “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Oblivion,” “Tron: Legacy,” and “Only the Brave.”
More to come..
Saulnier is, of course, the filmmaker behind "Blue Ruin," "Green Room" and "Rebel Ridge." A24 landed this latest project a little over a year ago after a heated bidding war that included Netflix.