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What project brings together A$AP Rocky, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington?
Rapper A$AP Rocky joins Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, and Ice Spice in Spike Lee’s next feature film, Highest 2 Lowest, a reinterpretation of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low. As the film is set to premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Numéro takes a closer look.
A$AP Rocky and Denzel Washington star in Spike Lee’s upcoming film, Highest 2 Lowest
Few lineups could be more electrifying… Rapper A$AP Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, will appear opposite Denzel Washington in Spike Lee’s new film, as revealed by Deadline. The New York filmmaker has chosen to revisit a masterpiece of Japanese cinema, High and Low (Tengoku to Jigoku) by Akira Kurosawa, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of the original work.
Expected in 2025, likely on Apple TV+ in France, the film is titled Highest 2 Lowest. Rather than a direct remake, the project is envisioned as a modern reimagining of Kurosawa’s story.
Ice Spice and Spike Lee at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Originally released in 1963, the psychological thriller High and Low explored social class tensions through the story of a wealthy industrialist, now played by Denzel Washington. A shareholder in a major shoe company, Kingo Gondo decides to liquidate all his assets to buy out a controlling stake. But he soon learns that his son has been kidnapped and a ransom is being demanded. Then comes a twist: it turns out the kidnapped child is actually his chauffeur’s son…
Known for his socially conscious films, Spike Lee now brings this story into the context of modern-day America. The film, screened out of competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, also stars actor Jeffrey Wright and rapper Ice Spice. A promising foray into cinema for rapper A$AP Rocky. And one that may well be the first of many other. As a omaterf fact, the artist told Variety that he’s considering directing a film starring none other than his partner, Rihanna.
Highest 2 Lowest (2025) by Spike Lee, coming out on September 5th, 2025, on Apple TV+.
