Austin Butler reading books about '80s crime to prepare for Miami Vice

Austin Butler is reading books about crime in 1980s Miami to prepare for the reboot of Miami Vice.

The Elvis actor will play James 'Sonny' Crockett alongside Michael B. Jordan as fellow police detective Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs in Miami Vice '85, a film inspired by the popular 1980s TV series of the same name.

Butler, who is known for intensely preparing for his acting roles, revealed to GQ that he is reading books to learn more about crime in the Florida city during that time.

"I'm excited about Miami Vice. Right now I'm learning about that time period, which is the '80s, and what was going on in Miami during that time. So I'm reading a couple different books currently on that," he shared.

"There's this one called Hotel Scarface: (Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied and Plotted to Control Miami). Sort of about what was going on in the cocaine world of Miami at that time. And then there's another one about undercover DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents that I'm finding really interesting as well."

Butler and Jordan, whose involvement in the project was confirmed last month, will start filming the crime movie later this year, ahead of a cinema release in August 2027. The film is being directed by Joseph Kosinski, the man behind F1 and Top Gun: Maverick.

The Oscar nominee follows in the footsteps of Don Johnson and Colin Farrell in playing Crockett. Meanwhile, Tubbs was portrayed by Philip Michael Thomas in the TV show and Jamie Foxx in the 2006 film adaptation.

According to the official logline, Miami Vice '85 will explore "the glamour and corruption of mid-80's Miami" and is "inspired by the pilot episode and first season of the landmark television series that influenced culture and set the style of everything from fashion to filmmaking".