Austin Butler in Talks to Play Sonny Crockett in New Miami Vice Movie

Austin Butler is poised to join Michael B. Jordan in the new Miami Vice movie.

Variety reports that Butler is in early talks to play Detective James “Sonny” Crockett opposite Jordan as Crockett’s partner Ricardo Tubbs.

Don Johnson originated the role in the classic 1984-89 TV series, while Colin Farrell played Crockett in the 2006 feature film adaptation directed by Michael Mann. (Fun fact: Both Austin Butler and Don Johnson portrayed Elvis Presley before they were cast as Sonny Crockett.)

Unlike Mann’s reboot, this Miami Vice movie will be a period piece that Universal Pictures says “explores the glamour and corruption of mid-80’s Miami,” the decade when the original NBC TV series aired. It will be particularly inspired by the series pilot and first season (1984-85).

In the NBC TV series pilot, New York City cop Ricardo Tubbs travels down to Miami in search of his brother’s killer and eventually teams up with local undercover detective James “Sonny” Crockett, who’s also after the same drug dealers since they killed his partner.

In the end, Tubbs transferred to Miami and became Crockett’s partner and best friend as they went on a litany of dangerous undercover missions.