Spike Lee and Denzel Washington are collaborating for their fifth project together, creating a new version of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 thriller High and Low.
In March, the duo, known for their past works such as Malcolm X and He Got Game, will begin shooting a new version. This adaptation is based on Ed McBain’s novel King’s Ransom and follows the story of a wealthy man, played by Toshiro Mifune, who faces financial ruin after paying a ransom for a kidnapping.
Steven Soderbergh’s 2023 miniseries, Full Circle, was inspired by this story. In 2008, there were reports that Martin Scorsese and David Mamet were working on a remake, but it never materialized.
Lee has previously mentioned his admiration for Kurosawa and has stated that his 1986 comedy She’s Gotta Have It was influenced by Rashomon. When questioned about how long he plans to continue his career, Lee responded with, “Kurosawa was 86! I have to at least reach his age.”
Kurosawa’s creations have been adapted numerous times in the past, including the latest version in 2022 titled “Living,” which offers a fresh perspective on “Ikiru.” The film features Bill Nighy, who was recognized with an Academy Award nomination.
The new version of the film will first be shown in theaters by A24, then it will be available on Apple TV+. This is the same path that The Tragedy of Macbeth took, which earned Washington a nomination for Best Actor at the Oscars.
Alan Fox, a playwright who used to play basketball in college and work as a model, will write the script. Fox was also featured in Taylor Swift’s music video for Fifteen. His screenplay, titled Queens of the Stoned Age, follows a model who transitions into a marijuana distributor and has been acquired by Sony. Dakota Johnson is currently attached to play the lead role.
Washington was recently seen in The Equalizer 3, which made $191m worldwide. This year will also see him star alongside Paul Mescal in Gladiator 2 for director Ridley Scott.
Spike Lee’s most recent movie was Da 5 Bloods, released in 2020. His previous collaboration with Denzel Washington was the 2006 suspense film Inside Man.
Source: theguardian.com
