Superman Star Confirms Miami Vice ’85 Role Months After Tom Cruise Casting Rumor

Edi Gathegi has joined the cast of Miami Vice ’85. Gathegi won viewers over last year with his stellar Superman performance. The James Gunn movie stars him as the DCU superhero Mr. Terrific. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the actor would play a key role: “a small-time crook with big-time ambitions who is in over his head.” The name of his character has not been disclosed.

The Joseph Kosinski movie is Universal Pictures’ big-screen take on the classic NBC crime drama Miami Vice, which aired from 1984 to 1989. The two original main protagonists, James ‘Sonny’ Crockett and Ricardo ‘Rico’ Tubbs, will return in the film adaptation. However, Gathegi’s character doesn’t appear to be a specific recurring character from Miami Vice. The TV series had many criminals facing the iconic detective duo.

What Is Miami Vice ’85 About

Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in Miami Vice TV Series | Credit: NBCUniversal

The exact plot of the movie remains under wraps. Miami Vice ’85 will dive into the glitz, glamour, and crime in mid-1980s Miami. It is inspired by the pilot episode of the original TV series. There are several actors attached to the movie, including Michael B. Jordan, Austin Butler, and John Leguizamo. Jordan will play James ‘Sony’ Crockett, which was played by Don Johnson in Miami Vice. Austin Butler takes on Ricardo ‘Rico’ Tubbs, played by Philip Michael Thomas in the TV series. Leguizamo has joined Miami Vice ’85 as the main villain. The casting roster also includes Andrew Schulz, Camila Morrone, Whitney Peak, Alden Ehrenreich, and Danny Ramirez.

Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski is directing, while Dan Gilroy serves as the writer. Universal is eyeing a November 2026 production with shoots in Miami and New York.

Tom Cruise Was Rumored to Star in Miami Vice ’85

Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Before John Leguizamo was announced as the main villain of the movie, the internet was abuzz with a Tom Cruise casting rumor. The report seemed to be originted from Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman who said that Cruise was eyes for the villain role. However, it was shortly debunked by the hosts of The Ringer’s The Big Picture podcast. Tom Cruise has previously worked with Kosinski on two movies: Oblivion (2013) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

Miami Vice ’85 is set to release in theaters on May 19, 2028. Do you think Tom Cruise could have played the villain role? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.