Spike Lee and Denzel Washington set to remake a Kurosawa film

Acclaimed director Spike Lee and actor Denzel Washington are set to team up once again for an exciting new project. Lee will helm the English-language adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 crime film, "High and Low", starring Washington in the lead role. This collaboration, announced by Apple Original Films in partnership with A24, marks a highly anticipated reunion between the two iconic figures in cinema.

The upcoming film, "High and Low", will be the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington, following their previous successful ventures such as "Mo' Better Blues", "Malcolm X", and "He Got Game". Their last collaboration was in 2006's "Inside Man".

Joining Washington in the project is producer Todd Black, known for his work on acclaimed films like "Fences", "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", and "The Equalizer" series. The film is also reuniting Washington with Apple and A24, following his performance in Joel Coen's 2022 film, "The Tragedy of Macbeth".

Production for "High and Low" is scheduled to commence in March, with A24 planning a theatrical release before its streaming debut on Apple TV+.

"High and Low" is based on Kurosawa's gripping narrative, which revolves around a man who finds himself entangled in a harrowing extortion scheme after his chauffeur's son is mistakenly kidnapped for ransom. The original film, considered one of Kurosawa's masterpieces, has garnered critical acclaim and holds a prominent position on IMDB's Top 250 list.

The screenplay for the adaptation is penned by Alan Fox in collaboration with Spike Lee. The film is developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists, and Mandalay Pictures, with Black and Jason Michael Berman serving as producers.

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Aside from his involvement in "High and Low", Denzel Washington is currently reprising his role in "The Equalizer 3" and is set to star in "Gladiator 2" alongside a stellar cast. Meanwhile, Spike Lee, known for his diverse portfolio, is returning to narrative filmmaking after directing a notable project like "Da 5 Bloods".