Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler’s Crime Drama Set To Dominate 2028

It’s easy to forget that Michael Mann‘s 2006 feature film adaptation of the 1980s crime television series Miami Vice was considered a major disappointment upon release. In the 20 years since Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx inhabited the roles of Crockett and Tubbs, the film’s cult status has grown into a beloved critical darling that has inspired a massive fanbase. At long last, a new generation is set to take another crack at this source material, with Top Gun: Maverick‘s Joseph Kosinski at the helm and Austin Butler and Oscar-winner Michael B. Jordan in the starring roles.

Set up at Universal Pictures with Nightcrawler‘s Dan Gilroy behind the page, Miami Vice ’85 is scheduled for a May 19, 2028, theatrical release. It’s been a long journey to finally get a re-imagining of Miami Vice on the screen again. Kosinski and his team have a tall task ahead of them, but Universal has curated the perfect crew for this score.

‘Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski Has Big Plans for Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Miami Vice ’85’

A reboot of Miami Vice felt too good to be true, but the recent announcement that Joseph Kosinski will likely not return to direct Top Gun 3 indicates that he is fully committed to bringing Miami Vice ’85 into existence. We received our first glimpse of the film through loose plot details shared by Variety, which promises to be an exploration of the glamour and corruption of Miami in the mid-1980s, hence the title (Mann’s film was contemporary, making it an insightful time capsule of 2006 fashion and technology). The original TV series influenced the style and culture of the 1980s, and Kosinski’s film hopes to tap into that evergreen audience thirst for the decade’s glossy aesthetic.

After being rumored last fall, Austin Butler and Sinners‘ Michael B. Jordan, have been confirmed to play the Miami narcotics officers. Elsewhere, Butler is allegedly following Michael Mann to a follow-up to one of his own films, Heat 2. Glen Powell was initially eyed to play Crockett, which would’ve reunited him with his Top Gun: Maverick director.

Is That Tom Cruise ‘Miami Vice ’85’ Casting Rumor True?

Carlos Tischler/EyePix/INSTARimages

The most enticing rumor during the film’s development is the potential casting of Tom Cruise as the villain opposite Jordan and Butler. So far, there is no hard evidence corroborating this claim circulating online, but considering Cruise’s past partnerships with Kosinski in Oblivion and Top Gun: Maverick, as well as his pursuit of more challenging, against-type roles in a post-Mission: Impossible world, the casting wouldn’t be a shocking turn of events. This would be Cruise’s first villainous role since Collateral, coincidentally directed by Michael Mann. Not only would this expand Cruise’s horizons as an actor, but his rumored role in Miami Vice ’85 could be a passing of the baton from the past generation’s premier leading man to the faces of the next generation.

Universal Studios Continues To Take Big Creative Swings

“Premium large format” is a phrase that studios love to hear, as IMAX, Dolby, and other high-end exhibition models have proven to boost box office numbers and maintain a film’s lifespan in theaters. Variety also reported that Miami Vice ’85 will be shot for IMAX screens, optimizing the premium traits of the format. Kosinski has plenty of experience behind IMAX cameras as the director of Top Gun: Maverick and last year’s F1. The addition of IMAX photography and exhibition suggests that Universal is treating the upcoming movie as a marquee event. Along with their 2026 lineup, which includes Disclosure Day and The Odyssey, the studio has shown interest in platforming auteur voices in big-budget, star-driven projects, balanced by their reliable box office juggernauts in Illumination and Dreamworks animated movies.

Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler Are Perfect for ‘Miami Vice ’85’

Image via NBC

Miami Vice ’85 sees its key principal creative artists entering this exciting project at the ideal time in their careers. Jordan, newly minted in the rarefied class of box office stars with critical adoration, could turn this film with an already passionate pre-existing audience into another cultural event like Sinners. Butler’s robust filmography and mindset of working with visionary directors continues with Miami Vice ’85, a reboot that nonetheless feels fresh relative to the modern landscape. Years since Elvis, he is due to carry an event movie on the strength of his name. The film was originally slated for an August 6, 2027 release, with Universal also pushing the date for its fourth installment in the Mummy franchise.

As of April 2026, the rest of the plot details, production notes, and cast of Miami Vice ’85 have remained under wraps. In an era where information spreads rapidly and constantly, the more mystery, the better. Most people don’t need to be sold on a Miami Vice reboot, let alone a two-hander starring Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler. Let us be surprised, no matter how long we have to wait.