Spike Lee Denzel Washington

Source: Satchel Lee / Brian Bowen Smith

Spike Lee / Denzel Washington

Apple Original Films and A24 are partnering on High And Low, an upcoming reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name that reunites Spike Lee with Denzel Washington.

A24 will release the film theatrically before its global launch on Apple TV+. A24 developed and are producing the feature with Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures. 

Production is scheduled to commence in March. Alan Fox and Lee wrote the English-language screenplay. Kurosawa’s 1963 film centres on a shoe company executive who becomes the victim of extortion after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped.

Todd Black (Emancipation, The Equalizer films) is producing for Escape Artists alongside Jason Michael Berman (Air, Nine Days) for Mandalay Pictures.

Lee will additionally serve as executive producer through his 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks. Mandalay’s Peter Guber is also on the executive producer roster along with Juniper Productions’ Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington. Mandalay’s Jordan Moldo is co-producing.

High And Low marks the second collaboration between Apple Original Films and Washington after the Oscar nominated The Tragedy Of Macbeth, also from A24.

The project is the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington after Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man.

Washington and Black worked together on Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Equalizer franchise.