Spike Lee And Denzel Washington Team Up For Kurosawa’s ‘High And Low’

After nearly 20 years since their last film together, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are reuniting for a remake of Kurosawa’s "High and Low."

After nearly 20 years since their last film together, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are reuniting for a remake of Kurosawa’s “High and Low.”

The Academy Award-winning director and actor will be making their fifth film together which will be released theatrically by A24 before a global launch on AppleTV+, Variety reports. The new thriller serves as an English-language reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name which drew inspiration from Ed McBain’s novel “King’s Ransom.”

Set to begin filming in March, Lee’s version follows the downfall of a businessman after making a ransom payment to kidnappers. A24, Escape Artists, and Mandalay Pictures have collaborated to develop and produce “High and Low,” a film with a screenplay penned by Alan Fox and Spike Lee.

The new film marks Lee and Washington’s first film together since 2006’s “Inside Man.” They share a long history working alongside each other on cult-classic films under Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule banner including 1990’s “Mo’ Better Blues,” 1992’s “Malcolm X,” and 1998’s “He’s Got Game.”

This will be a passion project for Lee who has expressed his admiration for Kurosawa, telling Vulture in 2015 that the Japanese filmmaker’s 1950 movie “Rashomon” inspired his 1986 comedy “She’s Gotta Have It.” Just last year, Lee likened his career trajectory goals to that of Kurosawa.

“Kurosawa was 86! I got to at least get to Kurosawa,” he said, as captured by The Guardian.

The “High and Low” film is highly regarded in Hollywood with the film with Steven Soderbergh drawing inspiration from the story for his 2023 miniseries “Full Circle,” and Martin Scorsese having reported plans of a remake back in 2008. However, Scorsese’s based on a script by David Mamet never materialized.

Lee and Washington’s remake could bring about new Oscar nominations for the two award holders considering Kurosawa’s most recent remake 2022’s “Living,” which served as a new take on his 1952 film “Ikiru, received an Oscar nomination.