I don’t see many people reporting this, but rapper ASAP Rocky has joined Spike Lee’s “High & Low” remake. Peculiar casting. He plays a character called “Yung Felon.” That’s not a typo.
We already know that Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright and Ice Spice will be starring in Lee’s film, which is being helmed by A24 and Apple Studios. Showbiz411 and Daniel Richtman had previously reported Halle Berry as being part of the film, although she still hasn’t been announced.
The film is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller and will be written by Lee and Alan Fox.
Production on the film began last month and it’s currently going by the working title “Highest 2 Lowest,” maybe it’s the official title, I don’t know, but it’s what they’re using on the production grid.
Kurosawa’s classic 1963 crime thriller follows an executive at a Yokohama shoe company who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom. We don’t really know if Lee will be following the Kurosawa film’s plot to a tee, but it is definitely going to be heavily inspired by it.
I’m also hearing that Matthew Libatique is the cinematographer here. Now, this is welcome news. Libatique is best known for being Darren Aronofsky’s long-standing DP. They have collaborated together on seven films, including “Requiem For A Dream,” “Black Swan,” and “mother!” Libatique previously collaborated with Lee on four films, including 2006’s “Inside Man.”
Hard to believe, but, as legendary an actor/director duo as they might be, this will only be the fifth time Lee and Washington have worked together on a film. For some reason, I thought they had made more films. So far, their creative partnership has resulted in
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.