Summary
- Michael B.
- Jordan plays Rico Tubbs and Austin Butler plays Sonny Crockett
- Whitney Peak and Alden Ehrenreich are the latest additions to the cast
- Claudio Miranda is serving as cinematographer
- Miami Vice ’85 is being developed for IMAX
- The cameras, lenses and final IMAX aspect ratio have not yet been announced
- A significant part of the production is expected to film in Miami
- The movie returns to 1985 and draws inspiration from the original pilot and first season
- Universal's current release date is May 19, 2028
- Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler become Tubbs and Crockett
- Claudio Miranda leads the cinematography
- From Top Gun: Maverick to F1 and now Miami
- What “filmed for IMAX” means
- Will they build another custom camera?
- Rebuilding the visual world of Miami Vice
- When will filming begin?
- Whitney Peak and Alden Ehrenreich join the cast
- The release date has changed
- What we think
- Frequently Asked Questions
Joseph Kosinski’s Miami Vice ’85 is moving closer to production with Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler in the lead roles, Claudio Miranda serving as cinematographer and the film being developed for IMAX.
The latest development is the addition of Whitney Peak to the cast, according to Deadline, only days after Alden Ehrenreich joined the project. Peak is reportedly expected to play a romantic interest for Michael B. Jordan’s character, although Universal has not officially confirmed her role.
For filmmakers, the most interesting element is behind the camera. The active Production List entry names Claudio Miranda, ASC, ACC as cinematographer, continuing one of Joseph Kosinski’s most established creative partnerships after Tron: Legacy, Oblivion, Only the Brave, Top Gun: Maverick, Spiderhead and F1.
Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler become Tubbs and Crockett
Michael B. Jordan will play Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, while Austin Butler takes the role of James “Sonny” Crockett.
Miami Vice ’85 deliberately returns to the mid-1980s rather than moving the franchise into the present day. The film draws inspiration from the original show’s pilot and first season and is described as exploring the glamour and corruption of mid-’80s Miami.
Alden Ehrenreich and Whitney Peak have also joined the cast, with their full roles yet to be officially detailed by the studio.
Claudio Miranda leads the cinematography
Claudio Miranda has one of the most technically adventurous résumés in contemporary cinematography.
He won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for Life of Pi and has built a long-running creative partnership with Kosinski. American Cinematographer describes F1 as their sixth feature collaboration.
With Miranda now listed as cinematographer on Miami Vice ’85, the new film would become their seventh feature collaboration if the project proceeds as currently announced. This is an inference based on the current production listing and ASC’s documented collaboration history.
From Top Gun: Maverick to F1 and now Miami
Almost every major Kosinski-Miranda production has involved a different technical challenge.
On Top Gun: Maverick, they needed cinema cameras inside real fighter jets, allowing actors to perform while actually airborne. American Cinematographer has documented the use of Sony VENICE systems and specialised camera installations created for the aerial photography.
On F1, the challenge shifted to mounting cinema-quality cameras inside and on actual racing cars without destroying the genuine sense of speed.
Miranda and Kosinski worked with Sony to develop compact custom camera systems, while rejecting approaches that would have relied heavily on volume stages or bluescreen work.
What “filmed for IMAX” means
Industry announcements state that Miami Vice ’85 will be filmed for IMAX.
That does not automatically mean the movie will use 70mm IMAX film cameras or a 1.43:1 aspect ratio.
The Filmed For IMAX program allows filmmakers to design a production around the IMAX experience, potentially involving certified digital cameras, expanded framing and specialised image and sound workflows. The exact approach varies from project to project.
No official camera package, lens package or final IMAX aspect ratio has yet been announced for Miami Vice ’85.
Will they build another custom camera?
That remains one of the most interesting questions.
For F1, Miranda famously pursued what he described as effectively a “sensor on a stick” because even a Sony FX3 was too large for some positions inside the race cars. Sony subsequently helped build specialised camera systems for the film.
Miami Vice has always been closely associated with cars, boats, night streets and real locations.
There is no confirmation that another custom camera will be developed, but the technical package will be worth watching given Kosinski and Miranda’s history of engineering solutions specifically around the action they want to capture.
Rebuilding the visual world of Miami Vice
The visual identity of Miami Vice is inseparable from the property itself.
The new film is specifically set in 1985, meaning Miranda is not simply designing the look of a crime thriller. He is entering a visual world already strongly associated with neon colour, night streets, fashion, music, cars and Miami architecture.
The film is inspired by the original pilot and first season, making the relationship between the new image and the original television aesthetic particularly significant.
The challenge will be whether Miami Vice ’85 recreates the old visual language literally or follows the approach Kosinski and Miranda used on Top Gun: Maverick: preserving the emotional memory of the original while rebuilding it with a contemporary cinematic language.
When will filming begin?
Current industry information is not completely consistent.
Production List previously reported a September 2026 start in South Florida, with Miami identified as a key production location.
More recent reports surrounding the new casting additions have placed production later in 2026 and mentioned both Miami and New York.
Universal has not published a detailed official shooting calendar, so those production dates should still be treated as subject to change.
Whitney Peak and Alden Ehrenreich join the cast
Whitney Peak is the latest addition.
Deadline reports that she is likely to play a love interest for Jordan’s Rico Tubbs, although Universal has not formally confirmed the role.
Alden Ehrenreich joined only days earlier, with his character still undisclosed.
The currently known central cast includes:
- Michael B. Jordan — Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs
- Austin Butler — James “Sonny” Crockett
- Alden Ehrenreich — undisclosed role
- Whitney Peak — role not officially confirmed
The release date has changed
Miami Vice ’85 was originally scheduled for August 2027.
Universal subsequently moved the film, and its current official theatrical release date is May 19, 2028, as confirmed on the studio’s own page.
What we think
The appeal of Miami Vice ’85 goes considerably beyond Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler taking over two famous characters.
The more interesting challenge is how Joseph Kosinski and Claudio Miranda will approach a visual world carrying decades of cinematic and television history.
After filming genuine fighter-jet action for Top Gun: Maverick and building custom camera systems for real racing cars on F1, the pair have repeatedly demonstrated a preference for solving visual problems during physical production rather than relying entirely on simulation.
A 1985 Miami setting, extensive location work and an IMAX-oriented production create an unusually interesting canvas for their next collaboration.
The major cinematography question now is the camera and lens package Miranda will choose — and whether this production will once again lead to technical solutions created specifically for the film.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the cinematographer of Miami Vice ’85?
Claudio Miranda, ASC, ACC is currently listed as cinematographer. His previous work with Joseph Kosinski includes Top Gun: Maverick and F1.
Who stars in the film?
Michael B. Jordan plays Rico Tubbs and Austin Butler plays Sonny Crockett. Alden Ehrenreich and Whitney Peak have also joined the cast.
Is Miami Vice ’85 being filmed for IMAX?
Yes, the film has been announced as being made for IMAX, although its exact cameras, lenses and aspect ratio have not yet been revealed.
When will filming begin?
The project is in pre-production. Industry sources have reported different schedules during the second half of 2026, with Miami and South Florida among the key locations.
When will Miami Vice ’85 be released?
Universal’s current official release date is May 19, 2028.
