Welcome back to the C WEB podcast. Today we turn our attention to a development that has set the entertainment world abuzz: the first official glimpse of Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler as the iconic detective duo in the upcoming reboot, Miami Vice ’85. Universal Pictures unveiled the promotional images on Monday, October 12, 2026, as production officially commenced, and the results are nothing short of striking.
The images show Jordan as Ricardo Tubbs and Butler as Sonny Crockett, the undercover detectives who first captured the American imagination in the landmark 1980s television series. In the original show, which ran from 1984 to 1989, Don Johnson portrayed Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas brought Tubbs to life. Now, nearly four decades later, two of the most compelling actors of their generation are stepping into those roles for a feature film that promises to explore the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami.
The project, officially titled Miami Vice ’85, is being directed by Joseph Kosinski, the filmmaker behind Top Gun: Maverick and F1. The screenplay comes from Dan Gilroy, known for his work on Nightcrawler and Andor, with an earlier draft by Eric Warren Singer. According to an official description, the film is inspired by the pilot episode and first season of the original series—the very episodes that influenced culture and set the style of everything from fashion to filmmaking.
The cast surrounding Jordan and Butler is equally impressive. Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone, Danny Ramirez, John Leguizamo, Andrew Schulz, Edi Gathegi, Walton Goggins, André Holland, and Michael Irby all have roles in the revival. Leguizamo, who made his television debut with a small role on the original Miami Vice, will play the villain in this new incarnation—a full-circle moment he has described with evident enthusiasm.
Production is currently underway in Wayne, New Jersey, with additional shooting planned for New York City and Miami. The film was initially slated for a summer 2027 release but has since been delayed to May 19, 2028.
By returning to the pilot and first season, Kosinski and his team appear to be reaching for the essence of what made the show revolutionary, rather than simply replicating its surface.
Jordan, fresh off his Academy Award win for Best Actor in Sinners, brings a formidable presence to the role of Tubbs. Butler, an Oscar nominee whose recent work includes Caught Stealing and Eddington, takes on Crockett with the kind of intensity that has become his signature. Together, they form a duo that carries the weight of expectation—and the promise of something genuinely new.
The first-look images themselves are a study in restraint and suggestion. Rather than the pastel blazers and linen suits of the original series, the promotional shots offer a grittier, more contemporary interpretation. Jordan is seen in a long black leather coat, while Butler’s attire suggests a similarly grounded approach. This is not a nostalgic rehash; it is a reimagining.
For those who grew up with the original series, there is an undeniable thrill in seeing these characters brought back to life. For those discovering Miami Vice for the first time, the film offers an entry point into a story that has shaped American pop culture for generations. Either way, the project represents a significant moment in contemporary cinema—a major studio betting on a director with a proven track record, two stars at the height of their powers, and a story that still resonates.
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