John Leguizamo, who is generating chatter in the awards race for his turn in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” will play the heavy in Joseph Kosinski’s “Miami Vice ’85,” Universal’s upcoming film revival of the hit ’80s TV series, TheWrap has learned.
Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler were previously announced to star. Other cast include Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone and Danny Ramirez.
The film, written by “Nightcrawler” Oscar nominee Dan Gilroy, will be based on characters created by Anthony Yerkovich for the series, which was executive produced by Yerkovich and Michael Mann. Eric Warren Singer wrote an earlier draft of the screenplay.
The original 1984 “Miami Vice” pilot episode marked the beginning of the partnership between Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs, now played by Butler and Jordan, as they take on drug lords and other criminals on the streets of Miami Beach.
Filming for “Miami Vice ’85” is set to begin later this year, with a release scheduled for May 19, 2028. Dylan Clark is producing alongside Kosinski, who is best known as the director of the hit Best Picture Oscar-nominated films “Top Gun: Maverick” and “F1.” Executive Vice President of Production Development Sara Scott and Creative Executive of Production Development Christina Hoffrogge will oversee the project for the studio.
Leguizamo most recently starred as Eumaeus in Nolan’s epic “The Odyssey,” which has become Universal’s highest-grossing film of all time before inflation adjustment, passing the $1.67 billion global record set in 2015 by “Jurassic World” in its ninth weekend in theaters.
Leguizamo is repped by UTA, Mosaic and Jackoway Austen.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
