Michael B. Jordan as Rico Tubbs Could Reshape the ‘Miami Vice’ Legacy
A planned Miami Vice reboot might have found its Tubbs.
Michael B. Jordan is in early talks to play detective Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs in a new movie based on the iconic 1980s TV show, Deadline reports. While Jordan’s casting isn’t 100% confirmed, his involvement in the Jerry Kosinki-directed flick – which is scheduled for release in August 2027 – could turn Miami Vice into a hit for another generation.
‘Miami Vice’ is the quintessential ‘80s TV show
Miami Vice aired from 1985 to 1989 on NBC. The Florida-set show, which was created by Anthony Yerkovich and executive-produced by future Heat director Michael Mann, followed a pair of undercover detectives as they investigated cases, often involving the city’s drug trade. It quickly became a major hit thanks to its memorable soundtrack, the performances of its two leads (Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas), and its decade-defining aesthetic.
In 2006, Mann directed a new version of Miami Vice starring Jamie Foxx as Tubbs and Colin Farrell as James “Sonny” Crockett. The slick thriller, which was set in the present day, received mixed reviews from both critics and fans. While some praised the cinematography, others felt Foxx and Farrell lacked the charisma of the shows original leads and that the story was thin. The movie underperformed at the box office.
Could ‘Miami Vice’ with Michael B. Jordan be a hit?
Now, 20 years after the first movie, is the world ready for another take on Miami Vice? Jordan’s involvement in the project is a positive sign. He has a strong record of box office success, with hits including Sinners, Creed (and its two sequels), and Black Panther. And he has the mixture of charm and gravitas that could help bring Tubbs to life on screen.
The new version of Miami Vice will also be set in the ‘80s and be inspired by the show’s pilot episode and first season. (In the series premiere, “Brother’s Keeper,” Tubbs comes to Miami from NYC in the hopes of finding the drug dealer who murdered his brother. He partners with Crockett, who has recently lost his partner in a car bombing.) A return to the quintessential Miami Vice style and Reagan-era setting could also connect the upcoming movie to the show’s legacy and play into nostalgia for that decade.
Jordan may also share the screen with another hot young star in Miami Vice. Austin Butler is in talks to play Crockett, according to Deadline. The Bikeriders and Caught Stealing actor’s casting could also help build on the legacy of the original show and make it appealing to a new generation of viewers.
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