‘Miami Vice ’85’ adds ‘Gossip Girl’ star alongside Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler
‘Miami Vice ‘85’ has landed its leading lady, as Whitney Peak (‘Gossip Girl,’ ‘Hocus Pocus 2’) has signed on to star in the Universal reboot as the love interest of Rico Tubbs, played by Michael B. Jordan, according to Deadline. The actress will join Austin Butler as James “Sonny” Crockett, another iconic character from the OG 1980s series. Interestingly, Peak was actually not the first choice for the role. The actress had to go through several trials and chemistry tests with Jordan before landing the role. Besides starring in ‘Gossip Girl,’ Peak has worked on series such as ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ and ‘Home Before Dark.’ Also starring in the film will be Alden Ehrenreich, whose role has not been confirmed yet. Ehrenreich won a Tony Award for his work in ‘Becky Shaw’ on Broadway in June.
Director Joseph Kosinski (‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘F1’) will be helming the reboot from a script written by Dan Gilroy. Previously, Eric Warren Singer worked on the project, but his draft was revised by Gilroy. Set in the glamorous and corrupt 80s Miami, the film is based on the first episode of the original Universal television series, which has had a significant influence on the modern entertainment industry. Dylan Clark and Kosinski will produce, with filming set to begin this year in New York and Miami. Universal is reportedly shooting the film for IMAX.
Originally, the film was scheduled to release on August 6, 2027, but the date has now been changed to May 19, 2028. As for the actors, Jordan enters the fray as an Oscar winner, having just earned the honor for Best Actor for his work in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners.’ He will now play Ricardo Tubbs alongside Butler, who will bring James Crockett back to the screen. The original NBC series ran for five seasons from September 1984 to 1989, with Michael Mann serving as an executive producer under the creator, Anthony Yerkovich. Mann also starred in the film adaptation that aimed to give the series a new lease on life in 2006. For now, the reboot is setting up its cast, and further details are awaited.
