John Leguizamo Joins ‘Miami Vice ’85’ as the Villain with a Complicated Backstory

Joseph Kosinski has spent recent years establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most dependable directors of stylish, high-octane spectacles. Following the success of ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ he is now shifting gears from fighter jets and race cars to speedboats and neon-lit nightlife with his latest project, a big-screen reimagining of one of television’s most iconic crime dramas.

This project is ‘Miami Vice ’85,’ inspired directly by the original pilot episode of the beloved 1980s series. Austin Butler and Michael B. Jordan are set to portray James Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs, the two suave undercover detectives navigating the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami.

The cast has just expanded significantly with the addition of John Leguizamo, who will take on the role of the film’s main villain, a cartel boss, opposite Butler and Jordan’s leading detectives. This casting news comes from reports by both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

Leguizamo’s casting follows a strong performance in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ where he played Eumaeus, the blind loyal friend to Matt Damon’s Odysseus. His role in that film has seemingly solidified his standing within Universal’s talent roster, prompting the studio to bring him back for another significant project.

In addition to ‘Miami Vice ’85,’ Leguizamo has recently secured roles in the upcoming film from the Daniels, Mike Flanagan’s ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs,’ and the next installment of the ‘Ice Age’ franchise, marking a particularly busy period in his career.

The nature of Leguizamo’s role is particularly intriguing given his history regarding Latino representation in Hollywood. He has long criticized the industry for typecasting Latino actors in roles as drug dealers, gangsters, and criminals. His press tour for ‘The Odyssey’ this past summer heavily focused on the industry’s failure to provide Latino actors with more diverse and substantial roles.

This context adds an ironic twist to his casting as a cartel boss in a film centered around 1980s Miami, reflecting the very type of role he has publicly condemned. Whether this tension influenced his decision to accept the part, or how the character will ultimately be portrayed, remains to be seen as more details about the production are revealed.

Leguizamo joins a supporting cast that already features Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone, and Danny Ramirez. The screenplay is penned by Dan Gilroy, with Kosinski directing and producing alongside Dylan Clark of Dylan Clark Productions, the team behind ‘The Batman.’

According to the film’s official description, ‘Miami Vice ’85’ will delve into “the glamour and corruption of mid-’80s Miami” in a fresh take on the property, drawing inspiration from the original series created by Anthony Yerkovich, which starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas and left a lasting impact on fashion, filmmaking, and pop culture throughout the decade.

The film is being shot specifically for IMAX, with production expected to commence around October or November in locations across New York and Miami. Universal Pictures has slated ‘Miami Vice ’85’ for release on May 19, 2028, allowing ample time for the studio to build anticipation as more casting and plot details unfold.

With Kosinski’s proven track record of transforming stylish, high-concept premises into box office hits, expectations for this reimagining of ‘Miami Vice’ are already soaring even before filming begins.

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