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Miami Vice ’85: Why Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan Could Reignite the Coolest Cop Duo in Television History!
Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan step into the neon-lit world of Miami Vice ’85. Here’s why this die-hard original-series fan is ready for the new Crockett and Tubbs.
Cue Phil Collins’ iconic 80’s megahit In the Air Tonight! Pastel blazers. Neon-drenched skylines. A Ferrari Testarossa screaming down Ocean Drive at midnight. Miami Vice is coming back to the big screen — and it’s bringing two of the biggest stars working today along for the ride.
Universal Pictures’ Miami Vice ’85 just delivered its first real gut-punch of excitement: Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan are stepping into the white linen suits and five o’clock shadows of Crockett and Tubbs. If that casting news doesn’t get your pulse racing, check for one.
The big Miami Vice ’85 news and first-look photos dropped about a week ago, but I’m just now catching up after taking a short hurricane hiatus. This reboot doesn’t just respect the original—it supercharges everything fans loved and launches it into a bold new era. It’s a full-throttle ride back to where it all began, with a fresh, ambitious vision that feels pure Miami Vice. Here’s everything we actually know, what’s still rumor, and exactly why this lifelong Miami Vice fan can’t stop grinning.
Official Details
Let’s start with what’s actually confirmed. The facts below come straight from Universal Pictures’ own listing for the film — everything else in this article is clearly marked as reported or rumored.
- Release Date: Universal Pictures currently lists the film for theaters on May 19, 2028.
- Director: Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Tron: Legacy) is directing.
- Screenwriter: Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) wrote the screenplay.
- Story: The film is inspired by the original series’ pilot episode and first season, exploring the glamour and corruption simmering beneath mid-1980s Miami.
- Production: Filming has officially begun, and early reports indicate the production is shooting with IMAX cameras.
Worth repeating: this is an early-stage production. Release dates, directors, and scripts can all shift before a film actually lands in theaters, so treat May 19, 2028 as the plan right now, not a guarantee.
Reported Supporting Cast
Beyond Butler and Jordan, the trades have been buzzing with reported casting news. This is a ridiculously stacked lineup. Backing Butler and Jordan up are legit stars like Alden Ehrenreich, Camila Morrone, Whitney Peak, Danny Ramirez, John Leguizamo, Walton Goggins, André Holland, Michael Irby, and Edi Gathegi. This is how you know they are serious about getting this film just right for a whole new generation and the one that adores these iconic characters.
Why This Die-Hard Fan Is Ready
Full disclosure: I am a die-hard fan of the original Miami Vice. I’ve watched the pilot more times than I can count, and the show’s blend of style and grit has never been matched. I’m also a big defender of Michael Mann’s divisive 2006 Miami Vice film with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx — it may not be everyone’s preferred take, but I love its ambition, moody digital atmosphere, and grounded, modernized spin on Crockett and Tubbs. So, when I say I’m excited about this cast, I mean it.
The chemistry angle alone has me hooked. Butler has already shown he can disappear into an icon, and Jordan brings a magnetism and physicality that fits Tubbs perfectly. Watching these two trade banter and bullets together could be the buddy-cop pairing of the decade.
Then there’s Joseph Kosinski. After Top Gun: Maverick, he’s proven he can shoot speed, scale, and spectacle like almost no one else working today. Reports of IMAX cameras on set suggest Miami itself — the boats, the cars, the skyline — is about to look bigger than ever.
What I’m most curious about is atmosphere. The original Miami Vice wasn’t just a cop show — it was a mood, built on synth-driven music, bold fashion, and a neon-soaked nightlife that felt dangerous and glamorous at once. The trick here isn’t to copy that look beat for beat, it’s to capture that same feeling for a new generation.
Grounding the story in the pilot and first season gives me real hope. That’s the Miami Vice I fell in love with — before the show found its later rhythms, when Crockett and Tubbs were still feeling each other out and the city still felt like a loaded gun.
And honestly? I wouldn’t mind a tougher, harder-hitting modern action edge. The 1980s original walked a careful network-TV line. A theatrical Miami Vice has room to go further, and I’m here for it.
The Verdict
Early days or not, this is one of the most promising cop-duo pairings in recent memory, backed by a director who knows how to make action feel massive. Miami Vice ’85 has the ingredients to be more than a nostalgia play — by fusing the original show’s neon-soaked style and character-driven chemistry with bigger, more muscular action filmmaking, a truly cinematic sense of scale, and a fresh 1980s backdrop, it could carve out its own lane alongside both the classic series and Mann’s film. So, fellow Vice heads: are you ready to ride with the new Crockett and Tubbs? Sound off below.
