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‘The Odyssey’ star cast as villain in Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler’s ‘Miami Vice ’85’

The new villain has a surprising connection to the franchise dating back to the original ‘Miami Vice’ series.

Universal’s ‘Miami Vice ’85’ has found the actor who will play the main villain opposite Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler. The addition fills one of the film’s key roles, although the character’s identity and connection to the story remain under wraps. Jordan and Butler are leading the project as detectives Rico Tubbs and Sonny Crockett, with Joseph Kosinski directing. Production is expected to begin later this year.

That actor is John Leguizamo, who recently appeared as Eumaeus in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey.’ The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Leguizamo will be the movie’s principal antagonist but did not disclose any details about the role. Deadline later reported that he may play a cartel boss, citing unnamed sources. That detail has not been confirmed, leaving the film’s central conflict largely unknown for now.

The casting also takes Leguizamo back to a franchise he worked on at the start of his screen career. He appeared in several episodes of the original ‘Miami Vice’ during its run in the ’80s, playing different characters. His return follows his role opposite Matt Damon in ‘The Odyssey,’ which became Universal’s highest-grossing film. The movie earned about $1.68 billion worldwide.

‘Miami Vice ’85’ takes its cue from the pilot of the NBC series created by Anthony Yerkovich. According to Deadline, the film “explores the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami in an all-new version of ‘Miami Vice.’” Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone and Danny Ramirez round out the cast, although their roles have not been announced. Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas played Crockett and Tubbs in the original series.

Dan Gilroy, the filmmaker behind ‘Nightcrawler,’ wrote the screenplay, while Eric Warren Singer worked on an earlier draft. Kosinski, whose previous films include ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and ‘F1,’ is producing alongside Dylan Clark. Filming is expected to start in November, with shoots planned in New York and Miami. ‘Miami Vice ’85’ will be filmed for IMAX and released in theaters on May 19, 2028.