Preview:
- Denzel Washington will star in ‘High and low’.
- Spike Lee is directing the new movie.
- The film will remake a 1960s Akira Kurosawa crime thriller.
The idea of Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee teaming back up to work on a new movie together is certainly one to anticipate given their past collaborations.
Good news, then, for fans of the shared Spike/Denzel joints, as that’s exactly what is happening. Possibly more controversial (at least to those who worry about such things) is the fact that it’ll be a remake of no less a director’s work than Akira Kurosawa.
‘High and Low’ will be a new take on the 1963 crime thriller which starred Toshirô Mifune (another instance of a much-admired director/star combo).
It’s not the first time Washington has led a remake –– ‘The Taking of Pelham 123’ springs to mind –– but with Lee directing, we’re confident it’ll be something interesting and fresh.
English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film of the same name. Read the Plot
What’s the story of ‘High and Low’?
Kurosawa’s film is loosely based on the 1959 novel ‘King’s Ransom’ by Ed McBain (a pseudonym for Evan Hunter).
It follows the story of a board member for a Japanese company who is forced to choose between using a vast amount of wealth to gain executive control and helping his chauffeur by lending him the money to free his child from kidnappers.
Lee is writing the script for the new movie with Alan Fox, but don’t yet know whether this will be a direct remake of the original or what will be changed. Given that it’s Lee, we can imagine he’ll be adding his own themes and ideas to the story.
Related Article: 45 Best Denzel Washington Movies of All Time
What have Spike Lee and Denzel Washington collaborated on before?
‘High and Low’ will mark the fifth time the two Oscar winners have worked together, most recently on 2006’s ‘Inside Man’, along with ‘Malcolm X’ (for which Washington was nominated for an Oscar), ‘He Got Game’ and ‘Mo’ Better Blues’.
According to Deadline, this is a project they’ve wanted to work together on for a while now, but when the actors’ strike shifted schedules for various movies (including ‘Gladiator 2’, which Washington is starring in), that meant a delay from a planned 2023 shoot. With his duties on the ‘Gladiator’ sequel now complete, the actor is available, and Lee is planning to start shooting ‘High and Low’ in March.
When will ‘High and Low’ be in theaters?
While Apple and A24 are backing the new movie, it doesn’t yet have a set release date. There’s a chance Lee could have it ready for awards season, but we’d guess it’s more likely to be a 2025 entry. And the plan is for A24 to have it in theaters before it lands on Apple’s servers.
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