We Are Miami

AI-Enhanced Cocaine Cowboys to Stream Free in November

The 20th-anniversary release features 4,000 updated shots and arrives on the web on November 13, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Documentary

Bold vector illustration featuring a stylized vintage film reel being threaded through geometric guides, representing a digital film restoration project.
Filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman will release a free, AI-enhanced version of the 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys on November 13, 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Miami residents and crime documentary fans will soon be able to stream an AI-enhanced version of the seminal 2006 film Cocaine Cowboys. The digital restoration, which marks the movie's 20th anniversary, debuts for free on November 13, 2026.

Why it matters

The original documentary defined how the world views Miami's 1970s drug trade, bringing figures like Griselda Blanco into the global consciousness. This release aims to update the archival footage for a new generation while preserving the history of our city.

This re-release includes AI-enhanced still photos and resolution upgrades across 4,000 shots. It arrives as the documentary reaches its 20th anniversary, with all rights having reverted to the producers in the fall of 2025.

The players

Billy Corben

Director of Cocaine Cowboys and co-owner of the production company Ratonkur.

Alfred Spellman

Producer of the documentary and co-owner of Ratonkur.

New Territory Media

The AI studio responsible for processing and enhancing the film's 4,000 shots.

Griselda Blanco

The historical figure from the Miami drug trade whose notoriety was brought to a wide audience by the film.

The details

Directors Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman, through their company Ratonkur, partnered with New Territory Media to modernize the film. The update utilizes AI to sharpen resolution and create new motion graphics and reenactments of the historical Miami drug trade. Viewers can watch the final product for free starting November 13, 2026, on the filmmakers' website.

Timeline

  1. The original film premiered in 2006.

  2. Producers regained the rights to the documentary in the fall of 2025.

  3. The AI-enhanced version begins streaming on November 13, 2026.

Beyond the 305

The documentary's AI remastering updates the 2006 original release of Cocaine Cowboys for a modern, digital-first audience. This project marks a significant departure from traditional historical preservation by using AI to generate new visual reenactments of long-past events.

You will be able to access the upgraded film at no cost beginning November 13, 2026. Visit the streaming site online to view the restoration of these iconic scenes from our history.

The takeaway

This update offers a chance to re-examine a pivotal chapter of Miami history through a modern lens. Keep an eye on the production website for the release on November 13, 2026.

Further reading

For more on local film and historical projects, visit Documentary.

More information

Access the stream on the free documentary streaming site starting next month.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Business Insider.

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Do you believe using artificial intelligence to update classic films preserves or degrades original artistic intent?