Entertainment
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Electric ‘Man on Fire’ Adaptation Is a Perfect Binge for ‘Reacher’ Fans
You can’t throw a rock in Hollywood without hitting a remake — whether a loose franchise continuation or a full creative reboot, interest in mining new stories from what’s been excavated at least once before hasn’t waned in the slightest. If anything, the increasing frequency with which major studios are readapting their original films into a wholly new format is an indication that remakes aren’t a trend with a limited shelf life. The quality factor, however, is another story altogether. Some remakes feel entirely designed around a studio’s frantic desire to retain rights ownership, rushed into production and ultimately destined to become forgotten, while others actually breathe new life into an older story, making welcome changes that, in some cases, serve as a significant improvement on the source material.
It’s difficult to say whether anyone had a new Man on Fire adaptation on their wishlist for 2026, and while showrunner Kyle Killen‘s updated take on the classic novel by A.J. Quinnell doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel, it’s got a few things working in its favor. Specifically, an increasingly incendiary lead performance from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, several thrilling setpieces, and a few stakes-raising twists late in the game make the series a highly enjoyable binge for action-hungry viewers patiently waiting for a new season of Reacher.
What Is ‘Man on Fire’ About?
Special Forces mercenary John Creasy (Abdul-Mateen II) is one of the best at what he does — that is, until a seemingly by-the-book mission in Mexico City unexpectedly goes sideways, resulting in the deaths of his entire team. After leaving the field, Creasy is still navigating the lingering effects of PTSD from the incident, unable to sleep without experiencing nightmares, drinking on the job while operating a warehouse loader, and even grappling with severe suicidal ideation, all of which culminate in a desperate attempt to free himself from his lowest point yet. When longtime friend and former colleague, Paul Rayburn (Bobby Cannavale), suggests that Creasy stay with him and his family for a while, it doubles as an opportunity for Creasy’s recovery as well as a potential path for redemption. Creasy isn’t the only one who harbors immense skepticism about a relocation to Brazil; Paul’s teenage daughter, Poe (Billie Boullet, A Small Light), is still moping about having to say goodbye to all of her friends after being uprooted by her father’s job.
Creasy’s convalescence, however, is short-lived when a group of bombers targets a residential skyscraper in the heart of Brazil, leading to mass destruction and devastation. In the aftermath, it’s clear those responsible didn’t want to leave anyone alive — so the situation becomes even more critical when Creasy discovers that Poe, who’d snuck out past curfew to go to a party, is the sole witness to the bombing. Now, Creasy finds himself unexpectedly pulled back into doing what he does best while he’s not exactly at his best, and he’s hardly prepared to put his life on the line for anyone when he’s still struggling to open up to anyone. Fortunately, he has more than one new ally at his disposal, including Valeria Melo (Alice Braga), a professional driver linked to a local gang with the manpower and firepower to aid Creasy in his hunt, and CIA field agent Henry Tappan (Scoot McNairy), who struggles to defend Creasy’s out-of-the-box methods to his superiors while juggling more than one secret of his own. With Poe’s safety on the line, there’s nothing Creasy won’t stop at to keep her safe, even if it means burning every one of the city’s most notorious villains in the process.
Netflix’s ‘Man on Fire’ Adaptation Is a Slow-Burn Action Thriller
Despite the relatively explosive nature of Man on Fire‘s first episode, which begins by flashing back to Creasy’s most defining loss and culminates in the present day’s inciting incident, Netflix’s new adaptation is more of a slow burn than an instantaneous firestorm. It makes sense in the context of the narrative; Creasy is a man who’s still nursing his wounds when he’s introduced, even if all physical signs of injury have long since healed, and it’s taken a toll not only on his mental capacity but also his professional skill. Nowhere is this clearer than in the scene where he accompanies Rayburn on what is, by all accounts, a potential job interview; when Creasy is ordered to field strip a gun down to all of its individual parts, a task he was once able to complete in mere seconds, he falters, his hands visibly shaking with tremors. It sets up Man on Fire‘s leading character as not just a reluctant hero, but a traumatized man facing his own personal demons while immersed in near-identical circumstances to what first conjured them.
The overall benefit, too, of Man on Fire‘s longer series approach (of which all seven episodes were provided for review) allows the story to delve that much deeper into character, both in terms of individual growth and shared development. Early on, the show establishes that Creasy and Poe’s history goes back several years to his own defining memory of Rayburn’s daughter, but their trust in each other doesn’t appear nearly as quickly as that single recollection. It takes both characters learning how to fight countless threats before they realize they’re stronger together than apart. Aging Poe up from a child, as well, gives her more agency in the story, rather than turning her into a helpless ward getting dragged around by more competent parties; one of the series’ biggest twists even hinges on her ability to successfully recall a critical reveal minutes before the bombing.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Turns ‘Wonder Man’ Into Marvel’s Most Personal Project Ever
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II dives into Simon Williams’ complex mind, gets real about nerves, and reveals the one thing he’s finally stopped chasing.
Poe also could have become little more than a teenaged annoyance in lesser hands, but Boullet is afforded plenty of opportunity to showcase different sides of her character, particularly through an unlikely friendship with the young Livro (Jefferson Batista), whose innocence is also tested through his familial connection to the local gangs; Batista becomes one of the series’ greatest surprises, delivering a nuanced performance that should make several casting directors sit up and take notice.
While Poe and Creasy’s evolving alliance is undoubtedly the heart of the story, Braga’s Valeria Melo serves as a welcome voice of reason in any scene she’s in, and the series thankfully avoids the more predictable genre pitfall of reducing her to a love interest, giving her more compelling personal stakes in Creasy’s self-appointed mission. Initially, McNairy’s character reads more like a stereotypical law enforcement insert, but the closer Creasy gets to uncovering the true conspiracy behind the bombing, the more elusive Tappan’s real motivations become, and the more McNairy gets to flex a wider range in the process. Beyond them, it occasionally feels like there are too many side characters for the show to successfully juggle, especially when their subplots borrow time away from the most interesting parts of the narrative, but none of them ever overstay their welcome.
‘Man on Fire’ Cements Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a Bonafide Action Star
What Man on Fire does ultimately succeed as a showcase for, amidst the narrative’s twists and turns, is Abdul-Mateen II’s undeniable magnetism as both a leading man and an action star. There are glimmers of Creasy’s capabilities early on, but they’re submerged beneath the character’s immense pain and grief, as well as the blame he’s put on his own shoulders. The skyscraper bombing represents an equally personal situation, and while it’s hard not to long for more calm before the storm, especially since Abdul-Mateen II and Cannavale have such a great onscreen rapport, kicking things off with a literal bang allows Man on Fire to hit the ground running without dragging its feet too long in the lead-up.
Of course, there are also plenty of thrilling setpieces that help to maintain the pace of the show’s action — including a prison break amid security lockdown, an attempted plane hijacking, and an unrelenting hospital firefight, to name a few — and Abdul-Mateen II brings all the energy required and then some. Yet the moments when you can’t tear your eyes away from him are when Creasy is most visibly struggling to put one foot in front of the other. He’s not always physically imposing, not looming intimidatingly in every scene, but his presence is undeniable nonetheless. Creasy’s breakdown is inevitable, especially while he’s in full fight-or-flight mode (emphasis on the fighting), and Abdul-Mateen II displays every crack in the character’s carefully constructed facade, peeling back new layers until his most personal battle becomes just as imperative to resolve as the greater conspiracy that threatens everyone he still holds dear.
There’s catharsis by Man on Fire‘s conclusion, as any good action show should offer, but there’s also the bittersweet reminder that no amount of revenge will ever be sufficient to fully heal grief. The series also can’t resist the temptation to sow the seeds for a potential sequel, and while it would be incredibly tempting to see Abdul-Mateen II return to a role that he successfully makes his own, Man on Fire‘s only season to date is a thriller adaptation that’s confident in its story, characters, and action, one that may not even necessarily need to be diluted by a continuation.
Man on Fire is now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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April 30, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Kyle Killen
- Directors
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Steven Caple Jr., Vicente Amorim, Clare Kilner, Michael Cuesta
- Writers
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Kyle Killen
Pros & Cons
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II cements himself as an action star with a tremendous leading performance, making the character of John Creasy his own.
- Several exciting setpieces maintain the show’s action at a steady pace, culminating in an unrelenting hospital shootout.
- The show’s biggest twist about who’s really responsible for the bombing completely upends expectations.
- There are a few too many side characters than the show knows what to do with.
- The series can’t help setting up the potential for a sequel in the finale, even though Man on Fire could easily be a satisfying miniseries.
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Just because Paulina Chávez is in the dark about season 3 of Landman doesn’t mean she can’t speculate wildly with Us about possible story lines.
“We don’t know anything,” Chávez, 23, who plays Ariana, exclusively told Us Weekly while celebrating the National Pork Board’s new Explora Todo El Gusto Del Pork campaign. “Obviously, I do assume that we’re gonna really get into more of the nitty-gritty of these character dynamics.”
Chávez has hopes for where her character will fit in now that Tommy (Billy Bob Thornton) is striking out on his own, adding, “Obviously, we have never seen how Ariana fits into the Norris family, and she’s never really interacted with [Ali Larter‘s] Angela. So I’m excited to see that.”
As Chávez is “eagerly waiting” for scripts for the hit Paramount+ series, she indulged Us by weighing in on all the possibilities when it comes to Ariana. Fresh off an engagement to Cooper (Jacob Lofland), Chávez could see them hitting another major milestone.
Taylor Sheridan‘s hit series Landman was renewed for season 3 — but which stars are and aren’t returning after that shocking firing? Inspired by the “Boomtown” podcast series, Landman is focused on the West Texas oil industry with a specific focus on crisis executive Tommy Norris and his family. The Paramount+ show, which premiered in […]
“A small wedding [must be] coming. But I also feel like this is a great opportunity for Ariana to maybe do something that her family has never done before, which is maybe go to college or maybe take some night classes,” the actress noted. “Especially if she is going to take more time with the baby and figure out the relationship with Cooper further.”
Chávez continued: “But she is also helping him with his goals and in the family business. I think that Ariana is going to want to do something for herself and to really help. Honestly, I see her being mentored by Rebecca, and maybe she’s following in the footsteps of making sure that they are protected legally.”
Chávez noted that Ariana would want a “small” wedding — but her future mother-in-law would not.
“Cooper and Ariana, they can hold off on it a little bit, but we’ll see. Maybe we will be in preparation for the wedding, but you won’t see it until it happens,” she noted. “Mexican weddings tend to be over the top. Angela is like a Latina mom by heart because she’s just so loud and free and open. She would want to go very extravagant with the wedding. … Maybe they’ll just go to the courthouse.”
The idea of bringing their families together sounded appealing to Chávez, who added, “I would love for Cooper to also see the dynamic between Ariana’s parents and her. I also would love to see both families meeting and see how that’s going to unravel.”
Despite planning a future together, there is one relationship milestone Chávez isn’t in a rush to explore. Chávez, whose character already shares a baby with her late ex-husband, expressed hope that Ariana and Cooper wouldn’t rush into expanding their family.
“Sometimes when you move super fast, sometimes there’s no need to [move as fast in other areas of the relationship]. There’s so much for them to still fortify and still work on their relationship and on themselves too,” she explained. “Either way, it’ll be a ride.”
Chávez also weighed in on Us‘ theory that creator Taylor Sheridan could bridge the worlds between some of his currently airing shows. From Yellowstone spinoffs Dutton Ranch and Marshals to The Madison, there are plenty of options when it comes to shows that could intersect with Landman.
“Definitely Dutton Ranch. That would be super, super cool to see — as a person who watched Yellowstone,” Chávez told Us. “That would be very interesting.”
Before Chávez returns to film the third season of Landman, she is serving as the face of Explora Todo El Gusto Del Pork, which is a new lifestyle food brand from the National Pork Board.
“This comes at a time where it’s such a fun way to show people our culture and in the way we love through food. Pork is something that is a big staple in our dishes that we make, and I feel like this is just going to pay homage to all the Latinas that have come before us and our grandmas,” she shared with Us. “I’m excited to share some of my grandma’s recipes and show the younger generation how to keep that culture going.”
She continued: “I feel like we didn’t really have much. And my sister — thankfully — sat down with my grandma and she wrote a cookbook with some of our favorite recipes. My top favorite is pozole. It’s a stew, and it’s just so yummy, and it’s just comfort food. Every year we also make tamales rojos, but on the side of that, we also make chilucas.”
For Chávez, the best meals come from her mother, whose cooking is “superior.” She adds, “I just love being home. I do like cooking when I have to. If not, I love to eat my mom’s cooking.”
Landman is currently streaming on Paramount+.
Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans appears to be working hard to put her past troubles with her son Jace behind them.
Posting via Instagram on Friday, May 1, Evans, 34, shared a carousel of photos and videos that showed her with Jace, 16, as they spent quality time together at a “parents weekend.”
Evans shared a selfie of the mother-son duo together as well as snippets from a kayaking adventure they embarked on together.
“Therapy and kayaking with my best friend. Both working on ourselves at the same time 💓🥹 #ParentsWeekend #MentalHealthAwareness,” the reality TV star captioned the post.
Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans is assuring fans that her 16-year-old son Jace is in good hands. “I’ll let you know something that I haven’t told anyone,” Evans, 34, shared on the Monday, April 13, episode of the “La Femme Talk” podcast. “You know I’ve been very quiet online, and behind the scenes, I’ve been […]
Evans — who shares Jace with ex Andrew Lewis, Kaiser, 11, with ex Nathan Griffith, and Ensley, 9, with David Eason — also shared drawings from the weekend via her social media, which appeared to be parenting exercises.
One piece of paper read “emotional hijack” and included practical steps to take such as “Do things they enjoy. Respect their feelings” and “Build the relationship.” Evans captioned the post, “#Parenting101.”
Evans’ followers voiced their support for the family update in the comments section.
“Precious, but make sure Jake is on board with you postings😉🤔 Hope All is well with you both🫶🫶,” one wrote, while another added, “Good job momma. ❤️”
Meanwhile, another follower wrote, “He looks good. Am glad he is doing well. So proud of him.”
Jenelle and Jace Evans. (Photo courtesy of Jenelle Evans/Instagram)
In March, news broke that Jenelle’s mother, Barbara Evans, filed for emergency custody of Jace after the teen allegedly pulled a gun on his relatives in February. (Jace was living with Barbara in North Carolina at the time, while Jenelle is based in Las Vegas with her younger two children.)
Barbara’s motion was denied but Lewis started a GoFundMe page to raise money for “medical and legal” expenses for his son, which Evans later slammed as a “scam.”
Evans previously shared an update on Jace on the April 13, episode of the “La Femme Talk” podcast.
“I’ll let you know something that I haven’t told anyone,” Evans said on the podcast. “You know I’ve been very quiet online, and behind the scenes, I’ve been actually getting help for my son as needed, and he’s in a safe place [in a] holistic approach.”
She continued, “I think that’s the most important thing. A lot of people, they think since I’m being so quiet that I might not be doing anything and not taking action. But just know that if I’m quiet, I’m up to something.”
Victoria Woods, also known online as BroRilla, has finally shared her take on ‘GOMF,’ which is her sister GloRilla‘s new song with Latto. Woods popped off on both rappers, taking shots at their talent and personal lives. Soulja Boy and Drake also caught stray jabs from Victoria for supporting the record and its official video. For context, ‘GOMF’ doesn’t name Victoria. However, in the song’s chorus, GloRilla takes aim at a “freaky stud,” which fans speculated was a dig at her sister.
“Get out my face, ho (Ho), beggin’ for change, ho (Yup). Get you a hustle and get that p*ssy out your face, ho (Yup). You coulda been anything, it’s a million ways to get paid, ho (Yup). But you ain’t sh*t but a freaky stud that’s laced,” GloRilla raps.
RELATED: Wayment! Fans React As GloRilla Appears To Diss Sister Victoria Woods & Teases Future Baby In ‘GOMF’ Track
Victoria Woods Goes OFF On GloRilla, Latto, Drake & Soulja Boy Over ‘GOMF’
In her response video, Victoria Woods wasted no time sending a big F-U to GloRilla, Latto, Soulja Boy and Drake. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly how the circulating BroRilla clip starts. Then Woods starts running down a list of insults for each person.
“Latto, you not even getting claimed in public by your baby daddy, b*tch. Like, h*e you pregnant by a married man while you wanna sit here and put Glo on a record,” Victoria Woods said, accusing Latto and Glo of running behind another female rapper’s “crown.”
Additionally, Woods called out Drake for “suing a motherf*cker over dissing the sh*t” out of him.
“You’s a b*tch any motherf*cking way, cause you mad cause Kendrick Lamar got on yo a** since you wanna sit here and applaud Latto, b*tch.”
To clarify, Drizzy has not sued Kendrick Lamar. However, he did sue Universal Music Group (UMG) and Interscope Records in January 2025 for allegedly engaging in a “false and malicious” campaign to promote Lamar’s diss record, ‘Not Like Us.’ A judge dismissed the defamation lawsuit in October 2025. In April 2026, Drake reportedly filed a brief in his appeal against the dismissal.
“Soulja Boy your outfit still big as f*ck ever since youuuuuuu and you lame as f*ck and can’t rap. I’m coming for all y’all heads, f*ck all y’all and anybody who like that motherf**king song and has stamped it…” Victoria said in her video.
Why Did Drake & Soulja Boy Catch Strays In BroRilla’s Clapback?
With ‘GOMF’ being featured on Latto’s album, it’s obvious why Victoria Woods came for her baby bump and more!
As for Soulja Boy, he seemingly caught heat from Woods for approving the sample song used in ‘GOMF,’ which is his 2007 hit, ‘Yahhh.” He confirmed in a series of tweets on April 27 that he’s been clearing samples for the last two years. His approval list also includes ‘Wanna Be’ by Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla, ‘Stomp Stomp’ by 41, Kyle Ricch, Jenn Carter, Tata and Dee Billz and ‘Dunk’ by Cash Cobain. Soulja Boy also makes an appearance in the official video for ‘GOMF.’
As for Drizzy, it doesn’t appear he’s directly involved with the production or promotion of ‘GOMF.’ However, he’s shown public support of Latto’s career in recent years. For example, in November 2024, he attended her show in Toronto, encouraging the crowd to show her love. Fast-forward to this month. The rapper publicly acknowledged ‘GOMF,’ and Latto even shared a personal text from him that complimented her lyrics.
“Ghost a n*gga if he ain’t a eater just like Pac-Man is a f*cking BARRRRRRRR,” Drake texted Latto.
Drake shows love to Latto’s ‘GOMF’ 🫶
Via: latto pic.twitter.com/4PDh89zN4T
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) April 27, 2026
In her album’s first single, ‘Business & Personal,’ Latto rapped about how honored she is by people likening her rap skills to Drake’s. According to Complex, there were rumors that he ghost wrote for her last album, ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea.’ “Oh, they think Crodie wrote it, (Pfft, well that’s a compliment,” she raps in the second verse.
Latto addresses rumors of Drake writing verses for her 👀
“Oh they think crodie wrote it? That’s a compliment.” — Latto on “Business & Personal (Intro)” pic.twitter.com/imzdPj8IYS
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) March 20, 2026
Was Woods Recently In A Car Accident?
Victoria Woods’ clap back comes amid viral photos that seemingly depict a person who resembles her. The photos show the look-alike sitting on another person’s lap in the driver’s seat with the door open. The car in the photos appears to have sustained damage, including major scratches and dents, on both car doors. It’s unclear whether a car accident occurred. At this time, Victoria has not addressed the photos. Additionally, no police reports citing her name and a car accident have surfaced yet.
RELATED: Lexie Brown Speaks Out After Klay Thompson & Megan Thee Stallion Fail To Clear Her Name In Cheating Allegations
What Do You Think Roomies?
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War is hell, and these movies don’t shy away from it.
Hollywood is sleeping on creature features. All it’ll take for audiences to stop sneering at these movies is Ari Aster filming a hive of caterpillars crawling up someone’s nose. But as long as they keep making knowingly unhinged films about sharks and murderous fish, viewers will keep tuning in — ironically, of course. Not too long ago, Netflix delivered a major hit with Thrash, in which Phoebe Dynevor punches a shark in the face during a hurricane. In 2024, the bonkers French film Under Paris captured a similar energy, bottled it up, and threw it in the audience’s face. There was a time when creature features would make a killing at the box office. Remember The Shallows, where Blake Lively is stranded on a rock being circled by a great white? The film grossed over $110 million worldwide in 2016. Only three years later, another creature feature did excellent business at the box office and received positive reviews.
This movie was helmed by Alexandre Aja and produced by horror-comedy maestro Sam Raimi. The film was headlined by Kaya Scodelario, who’d just made an unsuccessful attempt to replace Keira Knightley as the female lead of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Funnily enough, they’d go on to work together on the 2025 Netflix thriller The Woman in Cabin 10. In the 2019 creature feature, Scodelario played a young woman trapped along with her father in the crawl space of their home during a hurricane. Survival becomes even tougher for them when they’re surrounded by alligators.
Here’s How Long You Have Left To Watch Kaya Scodelario’s Creature Feature
We’re talking, of course, about Crawl. The film grossed more than $90 million worldwide against a reported budget of $15 million — this sort of result would be difficult to replicate today, especially with the emergence of streaming. Crawl received mostly positive reviews and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 84% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “An action-packed creature feature that’s fast, terrifying, and benefits greatly from a completely game Kaya Scodelario, Crawl is a fun throw-back with just enough self-awareness to work.” Also featuring Barry Pepper, the film is currently streaming in the United States on Paramount+, but it’ll be removed from the platform on June 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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July 11, 2019
- Runtime
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87 minutes
- Director
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Alexandre Aja
- Writers
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Alexandre Aja, Michael Rasmussen, Shawn Rasmussen
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These rom-coms, war films, and tearjerkers are certainly classics to us.
One adventure film has spent years being treated like an afterthought, which is kind of unfair when the movie itself is this inventive. Directed by Jon Favreau, the 2005 adventure takes a simple domestic setup and sends it spiraling into a surprisingly tactile, imaginative space fantasy. The whole thing has a handmade charm to it, from the practical effects to the escalating chaos inside the house, and that helps it feel warmer than a lot of bigger family blockbusters from the same period.
What really carries Zathura, though, is the sibling dynamic at the center. The young cast makes the growing tension and eventual bond between the brothers feel natural, which gives the film more emotional weight than you might expect from something involving killer robots and a board game that launches planets at your living room. It never overplays that heart, but it’s there, and it gives the movie a lot of staying power.
Now that it’s streaming free on Pluto, Zathura has another shot at being appreciated for what it actually is instead of what people lazily compare it to. It’s one of the most charming family sci-fi adventures of the 2000s, and it deserves a proper rediscovery. The cast of Zathura includes Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games, Bridge to Terabithia) as Walter, Jonah Bobo (Crazy, Stupid, Love) as Danny, Dax Shepard (Employee of the Month, Hit and Run) as the Astronaut, Kristen Stewart (Twilight, Spencer) as Lisa, Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River) as Dad, and Frank Oz (The Blues Brothers, Knives Out) as the Robot.
Is ‘Zathura’ Worth Watching?
The late Roger Ebert believed that the reason Zathura works is because it taps into the old-school thrill of a board game coming to life and turns it into a fun, imaginative space adventure. The movie follows two brothers whose boring afternoon gets completely derailed when a mysterious game sends their house into orbit and throws one wild danger after another at them. What makes it land is its sense of playful wonder. The special effects have a handmade, pulpy feel, the kids are easy to root for, and the movie understands that adventure should feel exciting without becoming too scary.
Zathura is streaming now on Pluto.
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.
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Will Jack Sparrow set sail one last time?
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?
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’
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.
If you’re a Prime Video subscriber, it’s hard to look past one show as the must-watch title on the streamer at the moment. After a shaky fourth season that received mixed reviews from most critics and audiences, The Boys returned to form with an explosive Season 5 opener early last month. Since then, weekly releases have seen Karl Urban‘s Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid‘s Hughie Campbell, and more face a world dominated by Antony Starr‘s Homelander as twists and turns keep many millions of viewers gripped.
Called “one of the show’s best” seasons in Nate Richard‘s review for Collider, the final outing in Eric Kripke‘s superhero series is certainly a must-watch right now. However, it isn’t the only show proving popular on Prime Video, with an 8-part Dexter replacement quietly continuing its streaming run almost two months after its debut. The show in question is Scarpetta, based on a book series by Patricia Cornwell, which debuted on March 11 and became an instant hit on streaming, topping Amazon’s most-watched series list in its first week.
The show boasts an impressive collection of talent both in front of and behind the screen, with veteran director David Gordon Green working on a trio of Season 1 episodes. The show’s ensemble includes Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Ariana DeBose, and Simon Baker, among many other notable faces. After its continued streaming success, Scarpetta has now hit an impressive new milestone. At the time of writing, the series has passed 50 days on the Prime Video streaming charts, as per FlixPatrol.
Nicole Kidman Is Also Dominating Another Streamer
Trust one of Hollywood’s best to simultaneously dominate two of the world’s biggest streaming platforms. As Scarpetta hits this latest milestone, Kidman’s other new project, the Apple TV hit Margo’s Got Money Troubles, continues its run near the top of the charts. Also starring the likes of Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, and Michelle Pfeiffer, the series has gained impressive reviews from critics, scoring a near-perfect rating of 97% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Later this year, Kidman will return to a cult favorite as Practical Magic 2 hits theaters, with Kidman and Sandra Bullock reprising their roles as Gillian and Sally Owens.
Scarpetta is available to binge in full on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more of the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
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March 11, 2026
- Network
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Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Elizabeth Sarnoff
- Directors
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David Gordon Green, Charlotte Brändström
Some movies don’t just feel nostalgic. They feel like memory itself. Cameron Crowe’s 2000 film captures fandom, youth, music obsession, and emotional growing pains with a warmth that never tips into sentimentality. It’s a coming-of-age movie, a backstage drama, and a love letter to the kind of rock-and-roll mythology that can completely take over your life when you’re young.
Almost Famous sticks around because of how human it feels. Patrick Fugit (Gone Girl, First Man) is great as William Miller, but the movie is packed with performances that have only grown in stature over time, while Crowe understands that the allure of this world is inseparable from the loneliness inside it, and that tension gives the movie real emotional weight.
Fugit plays 15-year-old William Miller, who lands the opportunity of a lifetime writing for Rolling Stone magazine following touring rock band Stillwater. Set in the 1970s, it’s a perfect representation of the era’s rock culture as it takes viewers on William’s adventures on the road. The story is inspired by Crowe’s own experiences as a teenage journalist, and his work on the film won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Almost Famous earned widespread praise from critics too, also nabbing a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Who Stars in ‘Almost Famous’?
Alongside Fugit, the cast includes Kate Hudson (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) as Penny Lane, Billy Crudup (Watchmen, Big Fish) as Russell Hammond, Frances McDormand (Fargo, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as Elaine Miller, Jason Lee (Vanilla Sky, Chasing Amy) as Jeff Bebe, Zooey Deschanel (Elf, 500 Days of Summer) as Anita Miller, and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, The Master) as Lester Bangs.
One of the best things in Almost Famous is its unforgettable soundtrack, which includes instantly recognizable hits from legends like Led Zeppelin, Elton John, and David Bowie. The soundtrack brilliantly captures the essence of the 1970s rock scene, which enhances the film’s story and provides quite a treat for music lovers. Adding to the thrill, the film also includes original songs performed by the fictional band Stillwater, with “Fever Dog” emerging as a fan favorite.
Almost Famous is streaming now on Pluto.
- Release Date
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September 15, 2000
- Runtime
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124 minutes
- Director
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Cameron Crowe
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