A new Spike Lee and Denzel Washington joint is on the way. Lee just announced his latest film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” is set to premiere in Cannes this May. While the film was not included in the festival’s initial lineup reveal on Thursday morning, Lee took to Instagram himself to announce the news.
He wrote in the caption of his post, “Bon Jour. Good Morning. Whaddup❓Da New SPIKE LEE JOINT-HIGHEST 2 LOWEST Starring My Brother DENZEL WASHINGTON Has Been Invited To Da 2025 CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (In The Out Of Competition Category). AND DAT’S DA BOTTLES OF 🍾 🥂TRUTH,RUTH. YA-DIG❓SHO-NUFF.”
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the film is described as an English-language “reinterpretation” of the 1963 Japanese film by Akira Kurosawa, “High and Low,” which is loosely based on the 1959 novel “King’s Ransom.” Washington stars in the film alongside Ilfenesh Hadera, Jeffrey Wright, Ice Spice and A$AP Rocky. The film will get a theatrical release via A24 before airing on Apple TV+.
In honor of a brand new collaboration between Lee and Washington, we’re strolling down memory lane, breaking down each of their films together by the box office.
“Mo’ Better Blues” (1990)
Last place in our box office ranking is “Mo’ Better Blues,” the first-ever collaboration between Lee and Washington. In the 1990 film, Washington plays Bleek Gilliam, a fictional jazz trumpeter who makes questionable choices in both his professional and romantic lives. The film, while earning mostly positive reviews, grossed about $16,153,593.
“He Got Game” (1998)
The next film on our box office list is “He Got Game,” Lee’s 1998 sports drama film starring Washington and Ray Allen. Washington played Jake Shuttlesworth, father to Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by Allen. In the film, Jake has to convince his son to play college basketball to shorten Jake’s prison sentence. The film grossed $21,567,853.
“Malcolm X” (1992)
Next is arguably their greatest collaboration: “Malcolm X.” The 1992 film was only their second collaboration together, and it went on to earn Washington an Oscar nomination for Best Actor as the titular role. It remains one of the most well-reviewed and referenced performances in film history. The movie was even selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2010. The film grossed $73 million.
“Inside Man” (2006)
Their highest-grossing collaboration? 2006's “Inside Man.” Washington plays a police detective who enters high-stakes negotiations with a bank robber and a high-power broker after the robber’s latest heist suddenly turns into a hostage situation. The film grossed $186 million and remains Lee’s highest grossing film to date.