Miami Vice '85 Set Footage Recreates the Original Pilot
New set photos and videos from Miami Vice ‘85 show Michael B. Jordan and John Leguizamo filming scenes that closely mirror the original series pilot. Jordan is playing Ricardo Tubbs, while Leguizamo has confirmed he appears as Esteban Calderone. The footage also shows Austin Butler as Sonny Crockett in sequences that recreate the show’s early introductions.
Set images and clips indicate Miami Vice ‘85 draws directly from the two-part pilot “Brother’s Keeper” and the show’s first season. Michael B. Jordan’s Tubbs mirrors Philip Michael Thomas’s early costume and actions, while John Leguizamo’s Calderone echoes Miguel Piñero’s look; Jordan’s beard is a visible departure.
Leguizamo announced his Calderone role via Instagram, a callback to his early career as Calderone’s son in the 1980s series. Austin Butler appears as Crockett in sequences recreating the characters’ introductions. The project follows Michael Mann’s 2006 film, which borrowed from a first-season episode.
For longtime Miami Vice viewers, the set recreations may stir nostalgia and sharpen expectations about fidelity to the original. Newer audiences could be drawn by Jordan, Butler, and Leguizamo, making the film a bridge between generations of crime-drama fans. If the project leans heavily on familiar beats, some viewers may feel the remake offers spectacle and casting appeal without a fresh story, which could affect word of mouth.