The upcoming Miami Vice redo is among the hottest properties in a plethora of reboots and remakes currently in production in Hollywood. A remake of the famous 80s television series, this new film is purported to star two of the most in-demand actors today: Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler. With the film now confirmed to be helmed by Joseph Koninski, let's dive into the reboot and see how far along a Miami Vice 2025 Reboot with Austin Butler & Michael B. Jordan really is.
Miami Vice started off as a crime drama television series that ran for 5 seasons on NBC in the mid-80s. Executive produced by Michael Mann, the series was famous for its music and stylized visuals and actually became part of the cultural zeitgeist at the time. Charting the personal and professional lives of Metro-Dade Police Department detectives James "Sonny" Crockett and Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in Miami, the series managed to break into the public psyche and ended up influencing pop culture for decades after it ended.
Trying to capitalize on the success of the series, producer Michael Mann decided to make a film adaptation of Miami Vice with himself as director. Starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell, the 2006 Miami Vice feature was bankrolled by Universal and was an expensive affair, budgeted at around $130 million. Even with the star power attached and the popularity of its namesake series, the film was ultimately a financial disappointment, raking in a mere $160 million in theatrical receipts. Although critics were hard on the film, noting the lack of charisma in the two stars compared to the series, the film has found its footing in home media and achieved cult status in the decades after its release. The stunning cinematography, coupled with its realistic action sequence, has found new fans, and most critics now consider it one of the better films of Mann’s entire career.
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Michael Mann, along with Universal, had erroneously hoped the film would be the start of a new franchise, but with a disappointing box office haul, a sequel was out of the question. Refusing to roll the dice on a follow-up, Universal sat back and saw how the film found a second life on home video over the years. Coupled with the fact that both the film and the series left their assured mark on the cultural zeitgeist, a new Miami Vice film was only a matter of time. 20 years after the release of the film, Universal finally saw a chance as it managed to nab an in-demand director for the inevitable Miami Vice reboot.
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Joseph Koninski, hot off his stunning box office streak of Top Gun 2 and F1: The Movie, was selected to helm the new Miami Vice film. Beginning his career with the cult sequel Tron Legacy (2010) and then shepherded by Tom Cruise during Oblivion (2013), Koninski finally exploded onto the scene when he directed Cruise in (40-years-in-the-making) Top Gun: Maverick. The film was a colossal box office success, and Koninski worked his magic again 3 years later when he helmed the awesome Formula 1 flick starring Brad Pitt, titled F1: The Movie. Koninski knows how to carve a summer blockbuster; expertly meshing characterization with pulse pounding stories that resonate with audiences around the globe. Thus, he is the perfect candidate to bring the style and charisma of Miami Vice to the audiences of this decade.
In addition to Koninski, acclaimed writer Dan Gilroy (Andor, Nightcrawler) came on board the project as its script writer. Known for his sharp scripts, Gilroy could significantly elevate the film when paired with Koninski—if the stars align. After Universal had set its creative team, it was now time to select who would play the iconic duo of Crockett and Tubbs. Rumors swirled about dozens of actors, but only two emerged as the real contenders. It was Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther, Sinners) and Austin Butler (Elvis, Dune 2) who were rumored to be finalized for the larger-than-life roles of James Crocket and Ricardo Tubbs.
If the new Miami Vice is to be a hit, then it needs stars who are both box office draws and ooze charisma. Thus, it makes perfect sense to go with Jordan and Butler here. In October 2025, Deadline reported that the duo was in early talks to star in the film with deals expected to close soon. With a release date locked for August 2027, the film needs to go before cameras soon if it is to make its date. Koninski has confirmed that the story takes place in 1985 and once again dives into the glamour, the seedy underbelly, and the corruption of mid-80s Miami. The official logline says the film “draws inspiration from the pilot and first season of the landmark TV series that shaped culture and set trends in fashion and filmmaking.”
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Koninski plans to shoot on location in Miami and South America to give the film an authentic look. Locking the film’s release date in August means Universal has high confidence in the project and seeks to close out the summer 2027 season in style.
With Koninski confirmed and everything else coming together, the new Miami Vice will definitely make its release date. Koninski is on a hot streak right now, and he will absolutely seek to deliver a film that is true to the Miami Vice name, combining pulse-pounding action, camaraderie, and all the excesses of 80s Miami. With Miami Vice confirmed, 2027 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for cinema, and we can't wait for it to get here.
