Next to him at the start: Denzel Washington and also Ice Spice.
At the Red Sea International Film Festival, Spike Lee spoke about his upcoming “Highest 2 Lowest” and also revealed new details. One piece of information that makes you sit up and take notice: US musician A$AP Rocky will also be playing.
Newcomers and an old acquaintance
Also on board for “Highest 2 Lowest”: Denzel Washington. He will be seen in one of the main roles as a music mogul. It is the fifth film together for him and Lee since “Mo’ Better Blues” (1990), “Malcolm X” (1992), “He Got Game” (1998) and “Inside Man”. In addition to Washington, rapper Ice Spice will also take part – and A$AP Rocky. While Rocky made his screen debut in the 2015 film “Dope”, it is the first step into the film scene for 24-year-old Ice Spice.
What specific roles the two will take on in the work remains to be seen. Since the film is set in the music world, the two film newcomers shouldn’t feel completely alien. At least Spike Lee gave the hint at the festival that Rocky – probably just like Ice Spice – would have “the leading role”.
A reinterpretation of the “great Kurosawa”
The new Lee film is loosely based on the 1963 crime thriller “High and Low” by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. In short, Kurosawa’s work is about an executive at a shoe company in Yokohama becoming a victim of blackmail. when his chauffeur’s son is accidentally kidnapped. However, Spike Lee expressly asserts that his “Highest 2 Lowest” is not a remake, but a reinterpretation of the “great Kurosawa”. After all, the film would now be set in the music business and have less to do with shoes.
Variety also reports that Spike Lee, aka Shelton Jackson Lee, emphasizes that Kurosawa’s films have always been an inspiration in his career, starting with 1986’s “She’s Gotta Have It.” In this regard, Lee is especially grateful to his time at the NYU film school, as it introduced him to filmmakers like Kurosawa, who opened his eyes to completely new perspectives and narrative structures.
“Highest 2 Lowest” is scheduled for release in early summer 2025 and is produced by A24 with Apple Original Films.
What about new music from A$AP Rocky?
Actually, fans of A$AP Rocky are still waiting for his new, fourth album. But this keeps getting delayed – probably due to leaks and the stress of authorizing samples, as the 36-year-old rapper and producer himself announced. His still current record, TESTING, was released in 2018.