Edi Gathegi has boarded the cast of Miami Vice '85, the Joseph Kosinski-directed crime thriller set up at Universal, USA Film News has confirmed exclusively. The actor, currently riding a career resurgence after playing the Man of Steel's foil in James Gunn's Superman, joins a project that has quietly assembled one of the more intriguing ensembles of the decade.
Details of Gathegi's part remain under wraps, and a spokesperson for the production declined to elaborate beyond confirming his involvement. The studio has yet to announce a start date for principal photography, though the film is slated for release on May 18, 2028.
Gathegi's ascent has been a slow burn that turned into a sprint. He first drew notice as Laurent in Twilight and later as Darwin in X-Men: First Class, steady character work that kept him visible without making him a household name. That changed with his turn in Superman, where his performance opposite David Corenswet's title character earned him a new tier of industry attention. Casting directors have been circling him ever since, and Miami Vice '85 marks his most prominent studio credit to date.
A Reimagining of the Series That Defined an Era
Kosinski's film is described as exploring the glamour and corruption of mid-1980s Miami, drawing inspiration from the pilot episode of Miami Vice. The NBC series, which ran from 1984 to 1989, fused cop-show conventions with then-novel visual flourishes - pastel palettes, pop-music needle drops, and a moody, almost cinematic sense of place - that reshaped what television could look like. Its influence lingers in everything from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to the neon-soaked aesthetic of countless music videos.
Plot specifics for the film remain unknown, and it is unclear how closely Kosinski and his team intend to hew to the original pilot's narrative. What is clear is that the project is being positioned as a prestige crime thriller rather than a straightforward reboot.
Gathegi joins a cast led by Michael B. Jordan as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs and Austin Butler as Sonny Crockett, the undercover detectives originated by Philip Michael Thomas and Don Johnson. The supporting roster includes Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone, Danny Ramirez, John Leguizamo, and Andrew Schulz - a lineup that suggests the film will balance dramatic weight with the kind of eccentric character work that made the series memorable.
Kosinski, who has spent the past several years in the cockpit of Top Gun: Maverick and F1, brings a proven instinct for propulsive, visually driven storytelling. The pairing of his technical precision with a story built on mood and moral ambiguity is a natural fit, though it remains to be seen whether the film will lean into the synth-and-sunset iconography that made the series a pop-culture touchstone or take a darker, more grounded approach.
What the Casting Signals
Gathegi's addition is the latest sign that Miami Vice '85 is being treated as a serious dramatic endeavor rather than a nostalgia play. The actor's range - he has alternated between prestige television, blockbuster franchises, and stage work - gives the production another performer capable of carrying scenes opposite Jordan and Butler, both of whom are known for their intensity.
The film's release date puts it in a crowded corridor. May 2028 will likely see it competing with at least one tentpole superhero release, and the studio has not yet signaled how it plans to position the movie against that competition. A trailer is not expected until late 2027 at the earliest.
For now, the project remains one of the more closely watched titles in development - a big-budget studio film with an auteur-adjacent director, a stacked cast, and source material that carries both enormous affection and the risk of disappointing those who grew up with it. Gathegi's involvement does nothing to dampen that curiosity.
USA Film News will update this story as more casting and production details are confirmed.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
