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Spike Lee’s new film Highest 2 Lowest released its first trailer Monday, revealing Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky in a tense ransom drama set inside New York’s music industry and hitting theaters August 15 before streaming on Apple TV+ September 5. The project reunites Washington and Lee for the first time since 2006’s Inside Man and reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 thriller High and Low through a hip-hop lens, with A24 and Apple Original Films co-financing.

Washington portrays David King, a legendary label chief whose son is abducted; Rocky’s Yung Felon demands a precisely calculated $17.5 million payoff, a figure teased in the trailer’s opening monologue. Early footage shows Jeffrey Wright, Ice Spice, and Ilfenesh Hadera orbiting King’s recording-studio empire, while commentators point to bold streetwear, gold headphones, and diamond watches that double as symbols of status and threat.

Apple’s synopsis lists a 133-minute running time and...

The new streaming original movie is a reimagining of a Kurosawa classic.

When Spike Lee and Denzel Washington get together, magic is usually made. The pair that brought “Malcolm X” to life is reuniting for “Highest 2 Lowest,” a new streaming-original film debuting on Apple TV+ later this year. If the pairing of Lee and Washington alone wasn’t enough to get you excited for its release, we’ll give you more details about the film below.

Everything you need to know about ‘Highest 2 Lowest’

When does ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ come out?

What is ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ About?

Who stars in ‘Highest 2 Lowest’?

Is ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ based on another movie?

What are critics saying about ‘Highest 2 Lowest’?

Watch a trailer for ‘Highest 2 Lowest’

Will you be able to stream ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ for free?

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month apple.com When does ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ come out?

“Highest 2 Lowest...

Starring Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky, Spike Lee’s highly anticipated thriller Highest 2 Lowest is gearing up for both its theatrical and streaming release. The film, which is set to hit the theatres on August 15, 2025, will be made available for streaming on Apple TV+ starting from September 5, 2025.

Highest 2 Lowest had its grand premiere at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival, earning a positive response from critics, having an 89% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its release. A reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, Lee’s neo-noir thriller is set in modern-day New York City, focusing on a powerful music executive caught up in a high-stakes ransom plot.

Highest 2 Lowest Drops Thrilling New Trailer Denzel Washington in Highest 2 Lowest | Credit: A24

In a very interesting move, Highest 2 Lowest released its first official trailer merely days before the film hits theatres. However, the trailer, which...

Denzel Washington reunites with Spike Lee in Highest 2 Lowest, a reinterpretation of Kurosawa’s High and Low. He will be seen playing David King, a Music mogul caught up in a ransom plot that spirals into ethical and moral turmoil. This project is reportedly set to earn him $35 million from its theatrical release on August 22, 2025, to when it starts streaming on Apple TV+ a few months later.

Here Comes the Flood, another of Washington’s releases in late 2025 to early 2026, is a Simon Kinberg script directed by Fernando Meirelles. Washington will join Daisy Edgar-Jones and Robert Pattinson in this heist-thriller on Netflix and earn $35 million for this project too. These lucrative paychecks shed light on the veteran actors’ continuous box office success and streaming popularity, even at the age of 70. It shows that people love his work and want to see him more.

Denzel Washington’s Role in Highest...

The Payback by James Brown starts playing as soon as you click play on Denzel Washington‘s Highest 2 Lowest trailer. The foreboding song works perfectly with the story of the upcoming A24 movie. But that isn’t the only song featured in this magnum opus of a movie.

The title song of the movie is performed and written by Aiyana-Lee, which is featured in the second half of the trailer, and it perfectly matches the setting of the movie’s tone and atmosphere. The movie also features songs from A$AP Rocky, alongside Ice Spice in a prominent role. Check out the trailer for Highest 2 Lowest below:

Denzel Washington dons the role of King with A$AP Rocky portraying the role of Yung Felon, who would do anything for the Washington mogul to notice him, including but not limited to kidnapping his son and holding him for ransom. That’s the plot of the movie.

Spike Lee’s new movie, Highest 2 Lowest, is making waves as a fresh take on Akira Kurosawa’s classic 1963 film High and Low.

This neo-noir crime thriller stars Denzel Washington, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Asap Rocky, and introduces Ice Spice in her first film role. The movie is based on the 1959 novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain, but Lee brings a modern and American twist to the story.

Filming started in New York City in March 2024 and wrapped up by May. The movie had its world premiere out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025. It’s set to hit theaters in the United States on August 15, with streaming on Apple TV+ to follow on September 5. The trailer for Highest 2 Lowest has just been released, giving fans a first look at the intense and stylish new film.

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Spike Lee’s new film Highest 2 Lowest is making waves with its recently released trailer, giving audiences their first real look at this stylish neo-noir crime thriller.

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The movie stars Denzel Washington and is a fresh take on Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low. This American version brings the story into today’s world, exploring crime, loyalty, and power in a gripping new way.

Highest 2 Lowest features a strong cast alongside Washington, including Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Asap Rocky, and Ice Spice, who makes her film debut here. The film’s story centers around David King, played by Washington, and the tense drama that unfolds when a kidnapping turns his world upside down.

The cast also includes familiar faces like Dean Winters and Wendell Pierce, with appearances by Eddie Palmieri, Anthony Ramos, and Rosie Perez as themselves.

Amazing things happen when you team Denzel Washington up with Spike Lee. The star and filmmaker have collaborated several times over the years – from Malcolm X and Mo’ Better Blues, to He Got Game. But the last time they got together was on Inside Man, almost 20 years ago now – a film that saw them deliver a slick, mainstream thriller. Finally, with Highest 2 Lowest, Spike and Denzel are reunited – and this one finds them back in thriller mode, with a spin on one of Akira Kurosawa’s non-Samurai pics. Their film – hitting cinemas ahead of an Apple TV+ streaming release – is a spin on High And Low, a tale of extortion in which a high-flying businessman’s son is kidnapped for ransom. Watch the trailer here:

In Kurosawa’s High And Low, based on the novel King’s Ransom, Toshiro Mifune is the head of a major shoe company. In Highest 2 Lowest,...

Acting legend Denzel Washington goes from the Highest 2 Lowest in the anticipated titular crime thriller. The upcoming A24 reimagination of a Japanese classic drops its latest trailer, with Washington front and center.

A24 released the latest Highest 2 Lowest trailer on Aug. 4, spotlighting Washington's central character, David King, a high-ranking music executive regarded as the "best ears in the business." King initially claims that "there's more to life than just making money. There's integrity, there's what you stand for." However, King's associate, Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright) suggests that "you gotta be a little crazy sometimes in this world to get what you want."

Things get crazy when King gets threatened by a mystery kidnapper who's taken his son and demands a hefty payday in exchange for returning him home. The kidnapper drives a hard bargain with King, warning him that "you're not God no more...I am," and that "you got blood on your hands,...

On Monday, Apple Original Films and A24 released the official trailer for Highest 2 Lowest, the upcoming crime thriller directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington. The film has already sparked awards buzz following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival and marks the fifth collaboration between Washington and Lee—their first in nearly two decades.

Who’S In The Cast

Highest 2 Lowest stars two-time Oscar winner Washington as a powerful New York music mogul whose son, played by Aubrey Joseph, is kidnapped and held for ransom. “Somebody’s got our son,” Washington’s character, David King, says in the trailer. The cast also includes Ilfenesh Hadera as Lomg’s wife, as well as Jeffrey Wright and A$AP Rocky, who not only appears in the film but also contributes new original music to the soundtrack.

The Backstory

Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, the film is...

Apple Original Films and A24 have just dropped the trailer for the latest Spike Lee joint, Highest 2 Lowest. The highly anticipated thriller marks the fifth collaboration between Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Lee, and offers a fresh, vibrant reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’sHigh and Low — now set in the bold, brash world of the New York music industry. Premiering in theaters August 22, with a streaming debut on Apple TV+ September 5, Highest 2 Lowest follows Washington as David King, a legendary music mogul with the “best ears in the business.” When his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped in a plot intended to target him, King is forced into a spiraling moral dilemma that puts his values, his empire, and his very identity on the line.

The trailer — also showcasing original music from A$AP Rocky — offers the first true look at what Lee has described as a “morally supercharged caper with rhythm.

Spike Lee’s new film Highest 2 Lowest is generating a lot of buzz as it gets ready for release in a few short weeks.

This American neo-noir crime thriller is a fresh take on Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, which itself was loosely based on the 1959 novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain. The movie stars Denzel Washington, Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Asap Rocky, and introduces Ice Spice in her first film role.

Filming started in New York City in March 2024 and finished in May of the same year. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025, where it was shown out of competition.

Fans can catch it in U.S. theaters starting August 22, with streaming on Apple TV+ set for September 5, according to information from A24 and festival announcements.

The story is a modern update of High and Low. Denzel Washington plays David King,...

Spike Lee’s new film Highest 2 Lowest is making waves ahead of its release, and now fans have a fresh look thanks to the recently revealed poster. This 2025 American neo-noir crime thriller is a modern take on Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low, itself inspired by the 1959 novel King’s Ransom by Ed McBain.

The movie stars Denzel Washington as David King, alongside Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Asap Rocky, and Ice Spice, who is making her film debut. Spike Lee directs from a screenplay by William Alan Fox, with the story set in present-day New York City.

Via Apple TV+

Filming started in March 2024 and wrapped up by May, with cinematography by Matthew Libatique. The movie had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025, where it screened out of competition.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see it in theaters either, as Highest 2 Lowest hits U.

When one starts watching Adult Swim’s Common Side Effects, it’s easy to feel confused about exactly what it is. Is it a comedy? A thriller? A drama? A sci-fi epic? A bizarre drug trip?

After a while, though, it becomes clear that the answer to all those questions is the same one. Just as it is for the question of whether this is one of the best new shows of the year:

Damn right it is.

The animated series, which debuted back in February, was created by Joseph Bennett and Steve Hely,...

“Adolescence” was the big winner at the Gotham Television Awards, taking home three prizes, including breakthrough limited series, on Monday night.

Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” won breakthrough comedy series, and “The Pitt” won best drama.

The actors, directors, writers and producers feted at the ceremony, hosted at New York’s Cipriani Wall Street, emphasized the need to preserve and protect the entertainment industry amid geopolitical strife and AI fears.

“We love this business,” said Amy Sherman-Palladino, accepting the Creator Tribute alongside her husband Daniel Palladino. “God please help everybody. Let’s make it survive.”

“Let’s keep the arts alive!” shouted an enthusiastic Parker Posey. “Let’s turn this business into entertainment that everyone can love. That old people and young people and even babies laugh at!”

Posey, who was honored with the Legend Tribute, was introduced by her “White Lotus” co-stars Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell, who took...

It was a big night for television, as Emmy favorites descended upon Cipriani Wall Street in New York City for the second annual Gotham TV Awards. Launched in 2024, the TV branch of the beloved indie film award show continues to stake out an early position on the calendar that could eventually make it a barometer for the Emmy race in a way that mirrors the Gotham Awards’ traditional relationship with the Oscars.

The evening’s big winners included “Adolescence,” which completed a sweep of the limited series categories with wins for Breakthrough Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Limited Series (for Stephen Graham), while Owen Cooper shared the Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Limited Series award with Jenny Slate (who was nominated for “Dying for Sex”). Emmy Frontrunners “The Studio” and “The Pitt” also won the Breakthrough Comedy Series and Breakthrough Drama Series categories, respectively.

“Building on the...

The 2025 Gotham TV Awards are underway in Manhattan.

This marks the second year in which the Gotham Awards have broken out TV honors with a separate ceremony during Emmys season.

Netflix’s Adolescence leads this year’s nominees with four nods.

The four-episode series about a teenage boy accused of murder, which became a much-talked-about phenomenon shortly after its streaming debut last month, landed nods for breakthrough limited series, lead performance in a limited series (Stephen Graham) and two nods for supporting performance in a limited series (Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty).

Meanwhile, Max’s The Pitt, FX’s Dying for Sex and CBS’ Matlock each landed three nods, with a number of projects scoring two nods apiece.

Dying for Sex faces off against Adolescence in the limited series category, where additional nominees are Get Millie Back, Penelope and Say Nothing.

The Pitt and Matlock are nominated for breakthrough drama series,...

Needless to say, remaking one of the greatest films of all time by arguably the greatest filmmaker of all time for an American crowd is a recipe for probable cinematic sacrilege. Add to this the fact that the American doing the remaking happens to be a director who’s already famously desecrated one classic of Asian cinema, and the prospects for Spike Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” appear rather dim from the outset. Fortunately, while his rehash of “Oldboy” was the work of a man clearly indifferent to his product, his reinterpretation of “High and Low” indicates a man who knew what made the original work, and what else could benefit from a modern update.

In a sense, “Highest 2 Lowest” can very well describe the trajectory of Lee’s entire career—a man who, over the course of his storied history, has made unimpeachable classics in between baffling misfires—but through it all,...

Spike Lee’s joints are known for their sweeping coverage of New York City, in particular Brooklyn, and even more specifically Bed-Stuy––hardly ever the luxurious, Gotham-tinged, cobble-stoned streets of Dumbo. Outside a short doc made for the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce in 2016, Lee hasn’t set a film in Dumbo since his 1986 debut She’s Gotta Have It. He’s returned nearly 40 years later for Highest 2 Lowest, his spin on Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, a film itself adapted from Evan Hunter’s novel King’s Ransom.

“Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”––the opening theme to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!––comes in gently with trembling violins and strong vocals while drone shots float through Dumbo at dawn like the ghosts of artists never discovered. As Gordon MacRae bursts the song open with his bellowing voice, the morning breaks, the energy livens, and drones pick up images of Manhattan’s Financial District,...

Spike Lee’s upcoming neo-noir crime thriller movie, Highest 2 Lowest, is said to be an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low. The movie, which follows a similar story line to High and Low, stars Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, and more. It recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

The film was filmed across New York City, with some of the elaborate action scenes in the Bronx, set against the backdrop of Yankee Stadium. Fans have high expectations from the movie, knowing that it’s a Lee and Washington collaboration. But Highest 2 Lowest has reminded fans about Steven Soderbergh’s project for Max, which was not renewed after season 1.

Spike Lee and Steven Soderbergh’s projects have Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low traces

Filmmaker Spike Lee is reuniting with Denzel Washington for their upcoming crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest, slated to release...

Denzel Washingtonand Spike Lee have teamed up once again for their latest joint, and it is one that the critics are seemingly "high" on. The A24 and Apple Original Film Highest 2 Lowest has become the duo's highest-rated film so far on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing all the other Washington-Lee projects that the pair have become famous for. It should mark the high point of the men's collaborative effort, almost two decades after they last worked together.

As of this article's publication, Highest 2 Lowest currently has a critic's score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 professional reviews. No audience score is currently listed, though this is likely to change this summer when the film debuts theatrically (and eventually on Apple TV+). The film's rating is unsurprising given its positive reviews, with Collider's Therese Lacson sayingHighest 2 Lowest is a "vibrant, loud, and full of life" film that is a "delight to watch.

Nearly 20 years after Spike Lee and Denzel Washington joined forces for the 2006 thriller Inside Man, the duo are finally back together for the reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 Japanese film High and Low. Titled Highest 2 Lowest, the neo-noir crime thriller made its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday and has debuted to an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%, signifying that Lee and Washington could have another hit on their hands when the film hits theaters later this year.

Also starring Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Asap Rocky, and Ice Spice in her film debut, Highest 2 Lowest features Washington as David King, a music mogul who's widely known for having the "best ears in the business." When he's targeted with a ransom plot, King finds himself jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.

Critic Matt Neglia from Next Best Picture notes that the film isn't just a "welcome reunion between two of cinema's greats,...

A new Spike Lee movie is still a calendar-clearing event; in the near 30 years since She’s Gotta Have It helped kickstart the Amerindie boom and introduced the world to a brash, trash-talking auteur from Brooklyn, he’s given us era-defining statements and eccentric sidebars, epic biopics and intimate performance movies, blockbusters and docs, highs and lows. His place in the canon is assured. It’s still always a dice roll, of course, and you never know which Spike you’re going to get once the lights go down — the crank,...

Spike Lee got off to a strong start.

“No fuck ups today!” the director quipped, kicking off his press conference to Highest 2 Lowest, his electrifying new crime thriller that premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival. The director was referencing his last time in Cannes, when he was president of the 74th Cannes jury, and accidently announced the winner of the Palme d’Or ahead of schedule at the festival’s closing ceremony.

But Cannes has welcomed him back. Highest 2 Lowest was greeted with a wildly enthusiastic response following its unveiling at the Palais on Monday night. The Cannes festival surprised Highest 2 Lowest star Denzel Washington, in town for only a few hours in between Broadway performances of Othello, presenting the two-time Oscar winner, and cinema legend, with an honorary Palme d’Or for his life’s work.

Denzel Washington stars as David King, a...

Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest unfolds like a kaleidoscope of moral tension set against New York’s restless skyline. Here, David King stands at a crossroads: to safeguard a child’s life or shield a business empire built on Black artistry. The narrative hinges on that wrenching choice, each heartbeat echoing in the cavernous penthouse where opulence and obligation collide.

Denzel Washington embodies King with regal confidence that fractures under pressure, his every gesture a testament to the weight of legacy. Jeffrey Wright’s Paul moves through King’s world with quiet ferocity—father to Kyle, pawn in a scheme that exposes loyalties as elastic as the city’s grid. Across the wire, A$AP Rocky’s kidnapper broadcasts fury and grievance, a ghost of dreams deferred, demanding both ransom and reckoning.

This opening salvo marries procedural suspense to an intimate character study. Lee’s lens alternates between gilded interiors...

Early reactions to Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest are in, with critics highlighting Denzel Washington's performance. Premiering at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, the neo-noir crime thriller is an English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film High and Low, loosely based on Ed McBain's novel, King's Ransom.Washington stars as a musical mogul entangled in a ransom plot.

The early reviews for Lee's new thriller are in, with many praising the director's unique approach and modern reinterpretation of an otherwise bleak film. Washington's portrayal of David King has been hailed by many as one of the actor's best works. Check out some of the responses below:

@ThePlaylistNews declares that Highest 2 Lowest "brings out the best in Denzel Washington."

‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Review: Spike Lee Once Again Brings Out The Best In Denzel Washington [Cannes] https://t.co/SBgXL6sZ7ipic.twitter.com/dFoVZp92TH— The Playlist (@ThePlaylistNews...

This year’s Cannes Film Festival is officially in full swing, and you know what that means, don’t you? Reviews for some of the hottest films at the fest are pouring in hot off the presses. Not long after Denzel Washington received an honorary Palme d’Or Award for his outstanding career, the first reactions (reviews) for his new film, Highest 2 Lowest, are here!

Spike Lee directs Highest 2 Lowest from a screenplay by William Alan Fox, based on High and Low by Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Ryūzō Kikushima, Eijiro Hisaita, and King’s Ransom by Evan Hunter. Highest 2 Lowest takes Kurosawa’s classic crime thriller to New York City and tells what happens when a titan music mogul is targeted with a ransom plot.

Check out some of the first reactions from entertainment outlets in the Cannes crowd below:

According to Variety‘s Peter Debruge, Highest 2 Lowest brings Kurosawa...

According to early reviews at the Cannes Film Festival, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have another winner on their hands.

The Oscar winners have reunited for the fifth time with Highest 2 Lowest, their first project since 2006’s Inside Man, a loose remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic 1963 drama High and Low. The film had its gala premiere at Cannes on Monday, where Lee helped celebrate Washington with an honorary Palme d'Or.

“Titled like a sequel, plotted like a remake, and shot with enough of its own singular verve to ensure that most people never think of it as either of those things, Spike Lee’s deliriously entertaining — if jarringly upbeat — Highest 2 Lowest modernizes the post-war anxieties of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low for the age of parasocial relationships,” Indiewire critic David Ehrlich wrote. “The basic chords of the song remain the same as they were back in 1963, even...

Spike Lee has had a checkered history in Cannes, bringing down the house with “Do the Right Thing” in 1989 but losing the Palme d’Or to Steven Soderbergh’s “Sex, Lies and Videotape” and being shut out of that year’s awards entirely. He was famously unhappy about that, and didn’t return for another decade until 1999’s “Summer of Sam,” and then waited almost 20 years before coming back with “BlacKkKlansman,” which won him the Grand Prix behind Palme winner “Shoplifters.”

Since then, he’s headed the jury once, and on Monday night he returned in an out-of-competition slot with “Highest 2 Lowest,” his adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime drama “High and Low.”

You could argue that Lee warrants a spot in competition at the festival, but “Highest 2 Lowest” doesn’t feel like the kind of Spike Lee joint that has defined him as a filmmaker. While the...

A single card credit at the end of Spike Lee’s hugely entertaining crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest reads: “Inspired by the master, Akira Kurosawa.” That tribute feels not in the least like someone paying lip service. Reinterpreting the giant of Japanese cinema’s 1963 classic, High and Low, a tense police procedural with a sharp dissection of social class structures, Lee and screenwriter Alan Fox handle the material with the utmost care and respect. At the same time, they transpose the narrative spine to an environment Lee knows intimately, allowing the director to make the film his own, with wit, high style and kinetic energy to burn.

Highest 2 Lowest is Lee’s first feature set and shot in New York since 2012’s Red Hook Summer, and that absence seems to have reignited his love for the city as a visual playground in ways that vibrate throughout.

That impression is planted instantly...

Titled like a sequel, plotted like a remake, and shot with enough of its own singular verve to ensure that most people never think of it as either of those things, Spike Lee’s deliriously entertaining — if jarringly upbeat — “Highest 2 Lowest” modernizes the post-war anxieties of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low” for the age of parasocial relationships.

Formerly a hyper-capitalistic shoe magnate embodied by the wolfish Toshiro Mifune, Kingo Gondo has been reborn as record executive David King. Likewise, the glass mansion his progenitor owned atop the hills of Yokohama has been swapped out for a penthouse apartment at the Olympia building in Dumbo — soon to become a minor tourist attraction if this refreshing late summer treat is seen widely enough during the two-week theatrical run that will precede its disappearance into the annals of Apple TV+.

Beyond that, however, the basic chords of the song remain the same...

There’s enormous risk in remaking a movie like “High and Low.” Japanese master Akira Kurosawa set the bar high with his 1963 take on a kidnapping that brings an ambitious businessman to his knees — which means, even in the hands of such a visionary director as Spike Lee, you can’t help worrying how low a modern, New York-set update might go.

For three-quarters of its running time, Lee’s “Highest 2 Lowest” glides along far better than skeptics might have expected (it’s night and day with his sordid U.S. adaptation of “Old Boy”). And then comes a scene for which there is no equivalent in Kurosawa’s version — a face-off between Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky as the man with the nerve to ransom his son — and the movie rockets into a sublime new stratosphere, delivering an electrifying last act that’s at once original and deeply personal.

Yet again a filmmaker has gone to the throne of Japanese giant Akira Kurosawa for inspiration. Among the lauded director’s films Hollywood has turned into English-language adaptations are Seven Samurai, which became The Magnificent Seven twice (including once with Denzel Washington); Rashomon, which became Paul Newman’s The Outrage; Ikiru, remade a few years ago as Living; Yojimbo, which led to an uncredited inspiration for A Fistful of Dollars; and 1958’s Hidden Fortress, unquestionably an inspiration for George Lucas and Star Wars.

Now chalk up another one with Spike Lee’s new take on Kurosawa’s 1963 drama High and Low, in which Toshiro Mifune played a shoemaker executive who is torn between paying the ransom to his chauffeur’s son’s kidnapper after the criminal nabbed him by mistake instead of the executive’s son, who was safe. It becomes a moral dilemma, especially as the exec really needs...

One of Hollywood’s most gifted actors, Denzel Washington, is having a hell of a Monday after being surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Only 21 people have acquired the prize for career achievement since Marty director Delbert Mann first received the award for his 1955 romantic drama. Cannes director Thierry Fremaux surprised Washington with the Palme d’Or ahead of the screening of Spike Lee’s police procedural crime drama Highest 2 Lowest, starring Washington as David King. Lee presented Washington with the Palme d’Or after an enthusiastic introduction from Fremaux. Naturally, the moment elicited a spirited standing ovation from the crowd.

“This is a total surprise for me, so I’m emotional,” Washington said as part of his acceptance speech. “It’s a great opportunity to collaborate with my brother once again, brother from another mother, and to be here once again in Cannes.

Denzel Washington got a surprise Palme d’Or honor from the Cannes Film Festival ahead of Monday night’s world premiere of Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, the actor and filmmaker’s fifth collaboration. It is screening Out of Competition.

Watch Denzel Washington’s speech below #Cannes2025 pic.twitter.com/z20gasMcau

— Deadline (@Deadline) May 19, 2025

The unannounced honor came after a reel of Washington’s stellar career was shown in the Palais. The bombshell announcement was made by festival chief Thierry Frémaux as he addressed the crowd. “It’s a very special day,” he said. “Denzel, because you are here, we want to make something special for you … it’s a kind of way for us to tell you our adoration, what you have done in cinema. Nobody knows about that except Spike Lee, who wrote me to do that.”

Related: Denzel Washington’s Career In Pictures: ‘Glory’ To...

A new report has revealed Denzel Washington's alleged salary for starring in streaming movies and, perhaps unsurprisingly for an actor of his caliber, it's a hefty sum. The two-time Academy Award winner has demonstrated range and versatility throughout his storied acting career, which spans four decades and encompasses playing diverse characters across a variety of genres, with notable performances in the likes of Malcolm X, Training Day, and Gladiator II, but he has also signed on for several streaming projects in recent years.

According to Screen Rant, Puck has reported that three sources "familiar" with the situation have indicated that Washington is getting a $35 million pay packet for his role in Netflix's newly-announced heist thriller Here Comes the Flood, in which he will star opposite Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones. The project was announced at the streaming company's third Upfront presentation, which is why it's currently a hot topic of conversation.

One of the best action movies of the last few years continues to prove its greatness, earning a pair of nominations at this year’s Gotham TV Awards. Released by Netflix back in September last year, Rebel Ridge has been both a critical and commercial success for the streamer, with the action thriller having now found itself up for awards consideration and thus cementing itself as one of the best genre features of modern times.

Rebel Ridge is now up for Outstanding Original Film, Broadcast, or Streaming alongside the likes of Peacock’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, NBC’s Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music, HBO’s Pee-wee as Himself, and Hulu’s Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Not only that, lead star Aaron Pierre is also in contention for Outstanding Performance in an Original Film, finding himself up against Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in Searchlight Pictures...

Emmy season is upon us, and while we won’t see those nominations until July 15, the second annual Gotham Television Awards could give us a taste of what to expect from TV’s biggest night. In the mix are critically-acclaimed series such as Netflix’s “Adolescence,” Max’s “The Pitt,” AppleTV+’s “The Studio” and FX/Hulu’s “Dying for Sex,” “Say Nothing” and “English Teacher,” among several newcomers.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,” Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the Gotham’s, said. “As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry’s most exciting new voices, celebrate breakthrough achievements and deepen our commitment to supporting the creative community.

The 2025 Gotham TV Awards nominations have been revealed, with Netflix’s Adolescence scoring a leading four nominations.

The four-episode series about a teenage boy accused of murder, which became a much-talked-about phenomenon shortly after its streaming debut last month, landed nods for breakthrough limited series, lead performance in a limited series (Stephen Graham) and two nods for supporting performance in a limited series (Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty).

Meanwhile, Max’s The Pitt, FX’s Dying for Sex and CBS’ Matlock each landed three nods, with a number of projects scoring two nods apiece.

Dying for Sex faces off against Adolescence in the limited series category, where additional nominees are Get Millie Back, Penelope and Say Nothing.

The Pitt and Matlock are nominated for breakthrough drama series, alongside Black Doves, Forever and One Hundred Years of Solitude.

The Pitt‘s Noah Wyle and Matlock‘s Kathy Bates are nominated for...

The Gotham Film & Media Institute handed out nominations to Adolescence, The Pitt and The Studio as well as performances by Kathy Bates, Sterling K. Brown, Ted Danson, Linda Lavin, Cristin Milioti and Michelle Williams for its second annual Gotham Television Awards.

The 2025 event set noms in twelve categories with Netflix’ high-profile series Adolescence topping at four and The Pitt, Matlock and Dying For Sex with three each. A number had double hitters including The Studio, Overcompensating, Penelope, Fantasmas, Deli Boys, Forever, English Teacher and Paradise.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes, and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham. “As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry’s most exciting new voices,...

Max’s medical drama “The Pitt,” AppleTV+’s “The Studio” and Netflix’s “Adolescence” are among the top shows nominated at the 2025 Gotham Television Awards.

Other shows nominated include FX’s “Dying for Sex” and CBS’ “Matlock.” Among the outstanding performances recognized across multiple genres include Kathy Bates (“Matlock”), Sterling K. Brown (“Paradise”), Michelle Williams (“Dying for Sex”) and Olivia Williams (“Dune: Prophecy).

The critically acclaimed “Adolescence,” which recently set its Emmys acting campaigns, saw nods for Stephen Graham, along with breakout newcomer Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson landed two nominations. One for “Ladies & Gentlemen…50 Years of SNL Music” and the other for “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius).”

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes, and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,...

The Gotham Television Awards are recognizing the buzziest series of the year. IndieWire can announce the 2025 nominees, including “Adolescence,” “The Pitt,” and “The Studio.” The Gotham Television Awards ceremony will take place Monday, June 2 in New York City at Cipriani Wall Street.

“Building on the success of last year’s inaugural ceremony, the Gotham Television Awards returns with new categories, expanded tributes, and a larger stage to celebrate the creators and artists making their mark on today’s television landscape,” Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham, said. “As the first awards show of the new television season, we are proud to bring together the industry’s most exciting new voices, celebrate breakthrough achievements, and deepen our commitment to supporting the creative community.”

Kathy Bates, Sterling K. Brown, Ted Danson, Linda Lavin, Cristin Milioti, and Michelle Williams are among the actors recognized in the genderless categories. The second annual awards...

"The Last of Us" is a gripping drama. It's also a video game adaptation that does something unique with its zombie apocalypse, trading in the walking dead for very much alive people infected by a fungus that takes over their brains and bodies. The infected are a source of infinite horror on the series, with new types providing more and more nightmare fuel. But even when there are no infected to be found, "The Last of Us" is a horror story in which danger lurks around every corner (with plenty of emotional devastation soon to follow after). It's a bleak and, at times, frankly nihilistic show about how terrifying fungi can be, with characters that are mostly miserable and only able to find small glimmers of hope at the end of the world.

All this is to say, when Adult Swim announced Steve Hely and Joseph Bennett -- the co-creator of "Scavengers Reign,...

From Joe Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (Veep) and executive producers Mike Judge and Greg Daniels (King of the Hill), the animated comedic thriller that follows what happens after a mysterious healing mushroom is discovered, Common Side Effects, will return for a second season on Adult Swim.

“Joe and Steve did their job by crafting a boundary-pushing and genre-defining piece of television that re-frames what ‘adult animation’ is capable of,” said Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen.

Ouweleen added, “And you all did your job by showing up on Adult Swim and Max to support the show and lighting up your socials to spread the word. So, see? We Can have nice things.”

“We are grateful for the enthusiastic response to ‘Common Side Effects’ and are thrilled to continue exploring this world with our amazing team and the fans who have embraced the show,” said co-creators Bennett and Hely.

“The...

Finally, the world can heal! While Warner Bros. continues to make questionable decisions about the future of its Looney Tunes brand, Adult Swim wants its hit adult animated series Common Side Effects to continue growing. The network announced on Friday that Common Side Effects Season 2 is coming, and fans can’t wait to devour new episodes.

Dubbed as an animated comedic thriller, Joe Bennett and Steve Hely co-created Common Side Effects, with Mike Judge (Beavis and Butt-Head) and Mike Daniels (King of the Hill) as executive producers. The show revolves around former high school lab partners Marshall (Dave King) and Frances (Emily Pendergast), who share a secret: Marshall has discovered the world’s most excellent medicine, a mushroom that can heal almost anything. But getting it out into the world won’t be easy – the DEA, big pharma, and international business people are all looking to stop them.

“Joe and...

Adult Swim has ordered a second season for the animated thriller Common Side Effects.

Mike Judge (Office Space) and Greg Daniels (King of the Hill) executive produce the half-hour series about a mysterious mushroom with healing properties from creators Joe Bennett and Steve Hely. The first season bowed Feb. 2 and the second season renewal comes ahead of the season one finale on Sunday.

The animated comedy follows Marshall and Frances, two former high school lab partners who share a secret: Marshall has discovered the world’s greatest medicine, a mushroom that can heal almost anything. But getting it out into the world won’t be easy – the DEA, big pharma, and international businessmen are all on the chase to stop them.

“Joe and Steve did their job by crafting a boundary-pushing and genre-defining piece of television that re-frames what ‘adult animation’ is capable of,” Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen said in a statement on Friday.

The mission to get a healing mushroom out into the world will continue. Ahead of Sunday’s Season 1 finale, Adult Swim has renewed Common Side Effects for a second season.

The animated comedic thriller series from co-creators Joe Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (Veep) and executive producers Mike Judge and Greg Daniels (King of the Hill) follows what happens after a mysterious healing mushroom is discovered.

“Joe and Steve did their job by crafting a boundary-pushing and genre-defining piece of television that re-frames what ‘adult animation’ is capable of,” said Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen. “And you all did your job by showing up on Adult Swim and Max to support the show and lighting up your socials to spread the word. So, see? We Can have nice things.”

The half-hour series follows Marshall and Frances, two former high school lab partners who share a secret: Marshall has discovered the world’s greatest medicine,...

Last month, Flogging Molly canceled all their upcoming tour dates as it was announced that frontman Dave King was “battling a very serious health condition.” Now, the punk band has revealed that the singer-guitarist suffered a brain hemorrhage in late January and underwent life-saving surgery.

Bridget Regan, King’s wife and Flogging Molly bandmate, shared the update on the band’s official Facebook page, revealing that following the surgery, King spent two weeks in a coma. The vocalist is currently in recovery, but Regan notes that her husband’s future remains “uncertain.”

The full statement from Regan reads as follows:

“Hi everyone, I’ve wanted to reach out for some time, but it was necessary to wait until we were safely out of the woods first.

On January 24th, Dave suffered a brain hemorrhage and underwent two subsequent surgeries to save his life. He then spent two weeks in a coma,...

Flogging Molly frontman Dave King suffered a brain hemorrhage and spent two weeks in a coma earlier this year, according to a new statement from his wife and bandmate, Bridget Regan.

In a post shared on Flogging Molly’s social media pages, Regan offered new details about her husband’s recent health crisis, which forced the band to put their performance plans on hold indefinitely. At the time, Flogging Molly said only that King was “battling a very serious health condition” and that they would share details when they could.

Behaviour Interactive are dipping their toes into the anime world again for Dead by Daylight, announcing that the hit anime series, “Tokyo Ghoul,” will be bringing the Ken Kaneki character to the game as the newest Killer on April 2. As with previous Killers and Survivors, Kanecki is now as part of the Steam public test build ahead of the official launch.

Yes, considering Ken Kaneki is Tokyo Ghoul’s protagonist, he’s entered The Fog as Dead by Daylight’s newest Killer, known as The Ghoul. In the original story of Tokyo Ghoul, following a near-fatal accident, the unassuming Kaneki receives a life-saving organ transplant – from a Ghoul. He awakens a half-human, half-Ghoul hybrid forced to feed on human flesh to survive while desperately fighting to retain what remains of his humanity.

After narrowly surviving unimaginable torture at the hands of the Ghoul, Jason, Kaneki’s mind had already been pushed to the breaking point.