Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are back with a bang. Apple and A24 have just dropped the official trailer for Highest 2 Lowest, a gritty, Kurosawa-inspired crime thriller that reunites Washington with Lee nearly two decades after their last collaboration on Inside Man in 2006.
Set in present-day New York City, the film hits theaters on August 15, followed by a streaming debut on Apple TV+ on September 5. Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low — itself adapted from Ed McBain’s novel King’s Ransom — this reimagined version shifts the story to the music industry. Denzel stars as a powerful music mogul who finds himself in a tense city-wide battle when someone close to him is kidnapped and held for ransom.
Joining Washington is a high-profile cast including rapper A$AP Rocky, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, John Douglas Thompson, and Ice Spice. Rocky’s role is already sparking buzz for its raw energy and street-smart intensity.
Highest 2 Lowest premiered out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, marking Spike Lee’s sixth film to feature in the festival’s official selection. The screening also held special meaning — it came exactly 36 years after Lee first hit Cannes with Do the Right Thing.
The film was developed by Apple and A24, with production handled by Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures. The screenplay is penned by Alan Fox, with Todd Black producing for Escape Artists and Jason Michael Berman for Mandalay Pictures. Spike Lee also serves as an executive producer under his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks banner, alongside Peter Guber, Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington. Jordan Moldo from Mandalay takes on co-producer duties.
Blending sharp social commentary, suspenseful drama, and powerful performances, Highest 2 Lowest is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films of 2025 — and with Denzel and Spike teaming up again, expectations are sky-high.
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