Screen Time: Taylor Sheridan’s $1 Billion Payday, ‘Miami Vice’ Eyes Austin Butler, & Plenty More

Welcome to B.H.’s Screen Time, where every week, we’ll give you the cliff notes on what’s happening in the entertainment industry. From various stages of development chatter and our take on the newest releases, to a fun throwback worth revisiting, think of it as an insider’s digest meets movie club.

Coming Soon

Days after Michael B. Jordan officially entered the Miami Vice reboot conversation as this generation’s Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs, reports are now indicating the Creed and Sinners star might be partnering up with fellow ‘it boy man’ Austin Butler (who would, of course, take on the role of James “Sonny” Crockett).

Prior to the headlines, it was rumoured that Jordan was in pole position for the Joseph Kosinski picture, along with the director’s Top Gun: Maverick muse, Glen Powell. Not Butler – though this isn’t exactly fresh territory for the latter, having been linked to both Luca Guadagnino’s American Psycho adaptation and one of our favourite Screen Time topics, Michael Mann’s long-gestating Heat 2 as a young Chris Shiherlis.

“[Kosinski’s Miami Vice] will explore the glamour and corruption of mid-80s Miami… 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,” explains Pamela McClintock of The Hollywood Reporter.

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McClintock went on to elaborate how Kosinski will once again capture the footage for IMAX in order to “enhance the sights and sounds of the iconic series” created by Anthony Yerkovich and executive produced by Heat filmmaker Michael Mann, who eventually helmed the feature film of the same name starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell.

The Miami Vice reboot’s screenplay is currently being penned by Dan Gilroy, who wrote and directed Nightcrawler; in addition to having written the likes of The Bourne Legacy and Roman J. Israel, Esq starring Denzel Washington. Casting is now underway with principal photography reportedly scheduled to kick off in 2026.

Miami Vice reboot release date: TBA.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And if you happen to stumble upon a winning international story formula like, say, Squid Game, try producing more battle royale content like Netflix‘s Japan-set Last Samurai Standing.

Based on Naoki Prize-winning author Imamura Shogo’s novel Ikusagami and directed by Michihito Fujii, the story takes place during the pivotal Meiji era – wherein the Land of the Rising Sun ceased to be so isolationist, broadly began modernising and Westernising.

292 warriors are gathered at Tenryū-ji Temple in Kyoto, where they are lured into a deadly contest with the promise of a ¥100 billion grand prize: take each other’s wooden tags and make it all the way to Tokyo. At the centre of all this is Shujiro Saga (Junichi Okada), who is motivated by the personal stakes of providing his sick wife and child a better life.

A tale as old as time, sure, but at the very least, we’re in for some well-choreographed katana action.

Last Samurai Standing release date (international): November 13th, 2025, via Netflix.

Paramount and the UFC are extending their gamechanging seven-year/$7.7 billion partnership to Australia… sorta.

As many of you may recall, just a few months ago, it was announced that from January 2026, US Paramount+ subscribers would be able to stream every single UFC event – including numbered pay-per-view cards – for no additional cost. Now, antipodean fight fans will be receiving some partial love.

Next year, Aussie Paramount+ subscribers will also have access to all live UFC Fight Nights and prelims for marquee numbered events at zero extra cost. But given the UFC’s existing contract with Foxtel and Kayo’s Main Event – the exclusive domestic distributor to the main cards of numbered events via pay-per-view – it’ll be a little longer before we get the whole enchilada gratis.

“The partnership with Paramount has already been incredible and it just keeps getting bigger and better,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White.

“They are now taking on new territories like Australia and this thing is just going to continue to grow. It just shows you how aggressive they are with this business, and I love it. I can’t wait to continue working together and building the next generation of talent all over the world.”

Select UFC events will also be available on free-to-air television thanks to Paramount subsidiary Network 10.

We now have a rough idea of when to expect David Fincher’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth starring Brad Pitt – and as per Variety, Netflix streaming queues aside, it may even involve a “robust” theatrical run in Summer 2026 (mid-next year, for the non-Yanks).

“Because [Greta Gerwig’s] Narnia reboot is slated for next November and Cliff Booth is eyeing a summer 2026 launch, theatrical plans won’t be finalised until closer to either film’s release,” explains Rebecca Rubin of the prolific entertainment publication.

The $200 million spin-off/spiritual sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, apparently set in 1977, has been in principal photography around Los Angeles since late July, and is expected to wrap early next year.

Aside from Pitt as the titular Booth, the only confirmed returning cast member is Timothy Olyphant, who reprises his role as actor James Stacy; other names you can expect include Scott Caan, Australia’s own Elizabeth Debicki, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Carla Gugino, Holt McCallany, JB Tadena, and Corey Fogelmanis.

This project-in-progress began its life as Tarantino’s scrapped 10th and final film, The Movie Critic, and effectively marks the fourth occasion David Fincher and Brad Pitt have collaborated after Fight Club, Se7en, as well as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; it’s also the fourth Tarantino-related affair Pitt features in after True Romance (which the director penned for Tony Scott), Inglorious Basterds, and the aforementioned Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.

The Adventures of Cliff Booth release date (international): TBA via Netflix.

Taylor Sheridan: The $1 Billion Man

After months of what seemed like endless spending – acquiring everything from the privilege of streaming UFC events for seven years (without the pay-per-view model) to the South Park family’s loyalty – Paramount Skydance has found itself in a bit of strife post-merger.

And we aren’t just talking about the 1,000 jobs it has had to cut in the first round of layoffs alone.

Multi-hyphenate, longtime golden goose, and the man who’s been credited for essentially singlehandedly propping up the Paramount+ streaming service – Taylor Sheridan – has decided to take his hit-making talents over to NBCUniversal in a deal valued at over $1 billion.

Money aside, the cowboy-cum-creative has been “disappointed” by the David Ellison-led regime change at the old Paramount stable, especially after several studio execs he’s come to know/love/respect were either benched to the sidelines or sacked altogether following his installation as CEO.

According to The Wrap, NBCUniversal Chairman Donna Langley flew down twice to Sheridan’s ranch in Weatherford, Texas, over the past several months to build a relationship with the superstar television showrunner, going as far as “offering him to be the Big Fish.”

“She earned that relationship. She focused on what was important,” noted an insider with knowledge of the situation.

Initially, these discussions only involved a deal, given that Taylor Sheridan’s contract with Paramount in this department expires next March. But as the conversation progressed, the Yellowstone universe progenitor was convinced to take his television portfolio along with him.

Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav also reportedly visited him in Texas to make a bid on the goods, though Paramount Skydance’s ongoing ambition to absorb Warner Bros in a parallel drama proved to be enough of a deterrent.

Taylor Sheridan’s movie deal with NBCUniversal commences in 2026 and will be active for eight years, whereas the television component of the overall agreement commences towards the end of 2028 for approximately five years. Meaning you still have a few years to enjoy his handiwork, from Landman and Lioness: Special Ops to Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, via Paramount+.

Beyond that, outside of the North American territories and what have you… how do we stream Peacock here in Australia again? Perhaps Stan will bid to collect the pieces, given it’s already the domestic home of Yellowstone, or maybe even Binge/Foxtel to fill the HBO-shaped hole in its catalogue. Considering Netflix Australia has also dipped a toe into the Sheridanverse by licensing Lioness season 1, it might even toss a hat into the proverbial ring.

In any case, roughly before 2029 kicks off, you won’t find any of the above at Paramount+.