Vin Diesel was once attached to a reboot of '80s cop show Miami Vice, but is the planned revival still happening? Miami Vice debuted on NBC in 1984 and was simply unlike anything else on television. The series was infused with an MTV-inspired look, giving it a cinematic sheen unlike other procedurals of the era. Miami Vice cast Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as vice cops Crockett and Tubbs, and while the show was critiqued at the time for being shallow or too glossy, it often dealt with dark themes and subject matter.
Miami Vice's first two seasons were spearheaded by producer Michael Mann, which can be seen from its visuals to the use of music. The show is also notable for giving future movie stars or character actors some of their earliest roles, including unlikely future action star Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis and Richard Jenkins. Declining ratings and a sense of creative fatigue led to Miami Vice ending in 1990 after five seasons, and its since been referenced and homaged in the likes of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Mann himself later directed a 2006 movie version starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx, which was a box-office disappointment at the time but is now considered an underrated gem.
Following the movie's reception, there would be occasional rumors of a potential TV revival. Vin Diesel was once linked to a Miami Vice reboot, but has the show made any progress?
Vin Diesel And His Production Company Announced A Miami Vice Reboot In 2017
Vin Diesel's production company One Race Television was confirmed to be behind a reboot of Miami Vice in 2017, according to Variety. Diesel's company was partnering with Chris Morgan Productions on the series, with Morgan having penned multiple Fast & Furious movies. Screenwriter Peter Macmanus (Happy!) was also set to write the pilot for the series. However, no cast or crew were set, and it's unknown what involvement Diesel would have on Miami Vice aside from being an EP.
Don Johnson Confirmed He Spoke With Diesel About A Miami Vice Reboot
Original Miami Vice star Don Johnson has been asked in several interviews about his attachment to a potential revival. During a 2019 chat with UK show This Morning, he seemed to imply the series was moving ahead with his involvement, but in subsequent chats, he's been more cautious. In a 2021 interview with USA Today, Johnson revealed that he and Diesel "... were supposed to talk" but that a conversation about a reboot didn't happen and at that moment "No one's talking to me about ("Miami Vice")." He also underlined the fundamental issue with a modern take on the show, stating "The challenge with "Miami Vice" is that it was a very specific time and sensibility. It's obviously going to take on a different tone now."
The Miami Vice Reboot Doesn't Seem To Be Happening
While the Miami Vice - where Johnson was almost replaced by Mark Harmon - revival isn't officially canceled, the show doesn't appear to be happening. There have been no further announcements on the project since 2017, with Diesel himself busy on the final Fast & Furious movies. The revival concept probably came to nothing after a certain period of development, but given how iconic the brand is, it will likely return someday in another form, but it a movie or show.