A24 has dropped the first full trailer for ‘Highest to Lowest,’ a gripping modern reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 masterwork High and Low, helmed by none other than Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee.
Part crime thriller, part social commentary, the film sees Lee fuse his signature style of political urgency and kinetic energy with the bones of Kurosawa’s psychological noir. The result? A sleek, pressure-cooker drama set against the brutal backdrop of American class division and corporate power.
Leading the powerhouse ensemble is Denzel Washington, reuniting with Lee after their acclaimed collaborations on ‘Malcolm X,’ ‘He Got Game,’ and ‘Inside Man.’ Washington steps into the role originally played by Toshiro Mifune — here reimagined as a high-profile tech executive whose world unravels when a kidnapper mistakes the identity of a child in his care. But unlike the original film, Lee’s take pivots not just on moral dilemma, but on how wealth, justice, and survival are unequally distributed in a society stretched to breaking point.
Joining Washington is Jeffrey Wright, bringing his trademark intensity to a key supporting role, alongside Ilfenesh Hadera (Godfather of Harlem, She’s Gotta Have It) and A$AP Rocky, who makes a rare and striking dramatic turn as a pivotal figure in the unfolding crisis.
The trailer pulses with tension, from its opening shots of sleek, glass-walled high-rises to the gritty, handheld footage that trails the kidnapper’s point of view. A taut score underscores Washington’s descent from the pinnacle of privilege to the chaos below, as he faces a devastating moral question: Is one life worth risking everything, even if it’s not your own child?
Lee, never one to shy away from sociopolitical critique, frames this story within America’s stark wealth divide. As sirens wail and helicopters hover, the trailer offers glimpses of media frenzy, public backlash, and the psychological toll on those caught in the crossfire — all captured with a blend of Spike Lee’s signature flair and reverence for Kurosawa’s legacy.
Also in trailers – Russell Crowe stars in teaser trailer for historical drama ‘Nuremberg’
