Walton Goggins has joined the cast of Universal Pictures’ upcoming film “Miami Vice ’85,” adding another familiar face to the growing ensemble led by Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler. The film is being directed by Joseph Kosinski and will offer a new cinematic take on the iconic 1980s police drama “Miami Vice.” Goggins is reportedly set to play one of the henchmen working for a cartel kingpin portrayed by John Leguizamo, although details about his character have not been officially confirmed.
The upcoming film is inspired by the original “Miami Vice” television series, which aired on NBC from 1984 to 1990. The show followed two undercover detectives working in Miami, combining crime stories with the city’s distinctive fashion, music and nightlife. The new film will revisit that world, focusing on the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami. Rather than directly continuing the television series, “Miami Vice ’85” is being developed as a fresh cinematic version inspired in part by the show’s pilot episode.
Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler will take on the central roles of detectives Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs and James “Sonny” Crockett, respectively. In the original television series, the characters were played by Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson. They were later portrayed by Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell in Michael Mann’s 2006 film adaptation. The new version will bring the two characters to a different generation of viewers while returning to the period and setting that helped establish the franchise.
Goggins’ addition brings further experience to a cast that already includes Whitney Peak, Alden Ehrenreich, Camila Morrone, Danny Ramirez and John Leguizamo. Leguizamo is set to play a cartel kingpin, with Goggins reportedly taking on the role of one of the criminals working under him. According to Deadline’s report, Goggins had been considered for the part earlier, but his schedule on the television series “Fallout” needed to be worked around before the casting could be finalised.
Goggins is widely known for his work across television and film. He currently stars in “Fallout,” the television adaptation of the popular video game franchise, and has appeared in projects including “The White Lotus,” “Justified” and “The Righteous Gemstones.” His film credits include “The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp.” His role in “Miami Vice ’85” adds another crime-focused project to his screen work, although further details about the character have yet to be shared.
Joseph Kosinski, known for directing “Top Gun: Maverick” and “F1,” will direct the film from a screenplay by Dan Gilroy. The script is based on characters created by Anthony Yerkovich, who developed the original television series alongside executive producer Michael Mann. Eric Warren Singer worked on an earlier draft of the screenplay.
Kosinski and Dylan Clark are producing the project, with Dylan Clark Productions also attached. The film is being developed by Universal Pictures as a new interpretation of the “Miami Vice” property, returning to the original series’ period while building a separate cinematic story around Crockett and Tubbs.
The mid-1980s setting will be an important part of the film’s identity. “Miami Vice” became closely associated with Miami’s visual style, fashion, music and nightlife, while its stories explored the criminal activity operating beneath the city’s glamorous surface. “Miami Vice ’85” is expected to revisit that contrast, presenting a Miami shaped by wealth, organised crime and corruption.
The story will follow Crockett and Tubbs as they work undercover in this environment, bringing the central police-procedural element of the original series into a new feature-film setting. The project is expected to draw from the established world of the television series while presenting its own interpretation rather than continuing the original show’s storyline.
The new film will also bring the franchise’s central partnership to a new generation. Jordan’s Tubbs and Butler’s Crockett follow the earlier television portrayals by Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson, as well as the 2006 feature versions played by Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell. The casting places two current film actors in roles that have previously been associated with different eras of the franchise.
Goggins’ reported role as one of the criminals working for Leguizamo’s cartel kingpin adds another layer to the film’s criminal world. However, the character’s name, background and specific involvement in the story have not been revealed. Further details about the ensemble are expected to emerge as the film moves closer to production.
“Miami Vice ’85” is also being planned as an IMAX production, with filming expected to begin later in 2026. Universal Pictures has scheduled the film for a theatrical release on May 19, 2028.
The project therefore brings together a new cast, a filmmaker with experience on large-scale productions and a screenplay built around characters from one of television’s most recognisable crime dramas. Kosinski’s involvement places the film under a director known for action-driven studio productions, while Gilroy is handling the screenplay based on Yerkovich’s original characters.
With Goggins now joining Michael B. Jordan, Austin Butler, Whitney Peak, Alden Ehrenreich, Camila Morrone, Danny Ramirez and John Leguizamo, the ensemble continues to take shape ahead of production. The film’s mid-1980s setting, its focus on Crockett and Tubbs and its return to the criminal underworld of Miami will form the foundation of this new cinematic interpretation.
For now, Universal has confirmed the film’s May 19, 2028 theatrical release, while production is expected to begin later in 2026. Further information about Goggins’ character, the wider story and the remaining cast is expected to be revealed as “Miami Vice ’85” moves closer to filming and its eventual theatrical release.
