Memorandum
- From
- Caroline Mercer via IGN Articles
- Date
- Filed
- Culture·4 min to read
- Re
Miami Vice '85 Set Photos Show Faithful Recreation of Original Pilot
ReMiami Vice '85 Set Photos Show Faithful Recreation of Original Pilot
New set photos and videos from Miami Vice '85 reveal Michael B. Jordan and John Leguizamo recreating the opening sequence of the original series pilot, raising questions about how closely the film will follow the 1984 show.
New photos and videos from the set of Miami Vice '85 show Michael B. Jordan and John Leguizamo filming scenes that appear to recreate the opening sequence of the original television pilot, offering the clearest look yet at how closely the upcoming film will follow the 1984 series.
Jordan plays New York City police detective Ricardo Tubbs, while Leguizamo recently confirmed on Instagram that he portrays Esteban Calderone, the Colombian cartel boss who served as the antagonist in the pilot and returned later in the first season of the 1984-89 show. Leguizamo previously got his big break playing Calderone's son in the original series.
The set photos and videos, taken during production in New York, also show Austin Butler, who plays Tubbs' future partner Sonny Crockett, shooting the earliest sequences that introduced both characters in the original pilot. The film is known to be inspired by the show's two-part pilot, «Brother's Keeper,» and its first season more broadly.
The recreations appear highly faithful. Jordan's Tubbs wears essentially the same outfit that original actor Philip Michael Thomas wore in the pilot's opening scenes. Leguizamo's slicked-back hair, mustache and cigar are a direct nod to Miguel Piñero's look in the same episode. Jordan is also shown recreating the same actions and facial expressions as Thomas in the sequence where Tubbs runs into an alley in pursuit of Calderone. The most noticeable difference is that Jordan's Tubbs has a beard, which the character did not grow until later seasons.
In the original series, Calderone was responsible for the deaths of people close to Crockett and Tubbs, which is why a New York cop ends up partnering with a Miami-Dade police undercover detective. That backstory forms the emotional foundation of the partnership at the center of the franchise.
For longtime fans, the faithful approach brings both excitement and concern. The film appears to treat the source material seriously and with respect for its 1980s setting, but a beat-for-beat remake of the pilot could prove frustrating for viewers who already know what will happen and to whom. The production has already prompted at least one premature judgment: when the first look images of Jordan and Butler in costume were released, concerns were raised about a dark color palette rather than the pastels used in the show's early seasons. Those concerns were rendered moot within hours when set photos revealed Butler dressed exactly like Don Johnson's Crockett in 1984-85, white suit and all.
That episode serves as a cautionary tale about rushing to judgment on the basis of early images. Everything from Miami Vice '85 looks cool and accurate so far, but the hope remains for a story that captures the spirit of the show while telling a brand new tale. Michael Mann's 2006 Miami Vice film also riffed on a first-season episode, «Smuggler's Blues,» but surrounded that subplot with an entirely new experience for fans, albeit without the flash and charm that were hallmarks of the series. Miami Vice '85 at least goes back to the roots.
Production is currently underway in New York before moving to Miami, Florida, after hurricane season ends. The film is scheduled to open in theaters on May 19, 2028.
2
