A new image from
Spike Lee
\’s
Highest 2 Lowest
, a reboot of Akira Kurosawa\’s iconic crime thriller
High and Low
provides an initial glimpse into
Denzel Washington
In the image, his character is shown aboard a subway, dressed in a hoodie, a New York Yankees baseball cap, and sunglasses. Earlier disclosures indicated that Washington would portray a modern adaptation of Toshiro Mifune’s role as Kingo Gondo from the 1963 film. Nevertheless, rather than taking on the part of a cobbler, he will assume the role of “a music tycoon who owns his own record label and is renowned for having the sharpest ear in the industry.”
The latest look at
Highest 2 Lowest
(commented below) follows closely after Lee commented
a quick mention of the movie\’s leading actor
A$AP Rocky appears to be wearing an orange prison jumpsuit in this initial look at his role. While the specifics of his character remain hazy, he’s referred to as Yung Felon, aligning well with his incarcerated appearance. There are speculations suggesting that Rocky might portray the ruthless kidnapper from the original story, someone who inadvertently takes the chauffeur\’s son and demands a ransom of 30 million yen. The exact nature of Rocky\’s part remains ambiguous, but these theories provide some insight into what fans can expect.
Highest 2 Lowest
signifies the fifth partnership between Lee and Washington, coming after
Mo\’ Better Blues
,
Malcolm X
,
He Got Game
, and
Inside Man,
and Lee\’s initial full-length movie since the one nominated for an Academy Award
Da 5 Bloods.
The
adaptation of Kurosawa\’s iconic thriller film
, which was loosely adapted from Ed McBain\’s 1959 detective novel
King\’s Ransom
We\’ll witness Washington portraying a character akin to Gondo, likely embroiled in an extortion scheme, with a supporting ensemble featuring Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, and Ice Spice making her debut in feature-length filmmaking.
\’Highest 2 Lowest\’ will have its debut at the Cannes Film Festival
Lee has revealed that
Highest 2 Lowest
will premiere out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival before being
launched in cinemas during the summer
A24 initially secured distribution rights before the film ultimately landed on Apple TV+. Spike Lee announced this news via Instagram following the omission of his latest picture from the festival’s lineup reveal on April 10th. In the post featuring a photograph of an embroidered patch reading “Highest 2 Lowest 2 Cannes,” he stated: \”\’Bonjour. Good Morning. What\’s Up? It\’s THE NEW SPIKE LEE JOINT – HIGHEST TO LOWEST starring my brother Denzel Washington has been invited to the 2025 CANNESS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (in the \’Out of Competition\’ category).\”
It\’s uncertain whether the announcement of
Highest 2 Lowest
His debut was scheduled to be unveiled during the build-up to the event or perhaps Cannes Artistic Director Thierry Frémaux and President Iris Knobloch inadvertently omitted it from the official selection list. Regardless, it finds itself among esteemed companions, with other films slated for Cannes including Wes Anderson’s newest work.
The Phoenician Scheme
, Ari Aster\’s quasi-Western
Eddington
, and Christopher McQuarrie\’s much-anticipated
Mission: Impossible – The Ultimate Accounting
marking
a first-of-its-kind opportunity for Tom Cruise\’s character, Ethan Hunt
.
Sources:
X/Twitter
,
Instagram