Miami Vice is being rebooted for the big screen, and now has an official release date. This is not the first time the classic 1980s TV crime drama starring Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas has been rebooted. Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx led a Michael Mann-directed reboot back in 2006. This time, Top Gun: Maverick and F1 director Joseph Kosinski directs.
Universal Pictures has announced the Miami Vice reboot has been given an August 6, 2027, release date. Casting is currently underway for the movie that takes its inspiration from the first season of Miami Vice, exploring the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami. Production is expected to begin in 2026. Just like Kosinski’s last two movies, Miami Vice will be filmed in IMAX.
What This Means For Miami Vice Reboot
Buzz around a Miami Vice reboot has been around for a while, with original series star Don Johnson addressing the rumors back in 2024. The new take on the crime drama really got underway when Kosinski was brought on board to direct in April of this year, working from a script by Andor scribe Dan Gilroy and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Eric Singer.
The next big thing will be who will Kosinski cast in the roles of Detectives James Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs? Nailing the casting for those two characters will be critical. Though, after the success that Kosinski has had with Top Gun: Maverick and F1 at the box office, many actors will likely be interested in the director’s next project.
Filming the movie in IMAX will also make this movie even more of an event. Coming off what he did with the format in his last two movies, it will be exciting to see what kind of IMAX action sequences Kosinski cooks up for Miami Vice.
Our Take On Miami Vice Reboot
For those of us that weren’t around to watch Miami Vice when it originally aired on TV in the 1980s, the 2006 Miami Vice reboot is the only exposure we have to the franchise. That reboot wasn’t well received, earning a “Rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes and was considered a box office flop; though some have recently claimed the movie is underrated.
You can buy or rent either the Miami Vice TV show or 2006’s Miami Vice movie through VOD platforms.
Remakes of 80s action movies have had a bit of a spotty record, and movie adaptations of 80s TV shows haven’t fared all that much better. However, like Universal Pictures, perhaps we should trust in Kosinski.
The director was able to pull off a Top Gun sequel nearly 40 years after the original movie, then followed that up with another má´€ssive hit in F1. Until proven otherwise, a Joseph Kosinski project should get movie fans excited. So call us optimistic about this Miami Vice reboot.