The trailer for Highest 2 Lowest has officially landed-and if there were any doubts about the energy of this remake, consider them gone. Directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington, this reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime drama High and Low moves the action from post-war Japan to the high-stakes world of New York’s music industry.
Highest 2 Lowest trailer
Washington plays David, a powerful music exec whose life is thrown into chaos when his young son, Trey, is kidnapped. What begins as a standard day at work spirals into a desperate attempt to negotiate with a faceless voice on the other end of the line. Jeffrey Wright plays Paul, one of David’s trusted confidantes, who opens the trailer with a deadpan line: “I need theme music.” From there, things go off the rails fast.
Watch the trailer here:
Highest 2 Lowest cast, plot, and more
According to ScreenRant, this is the fifth time Lee and Washington have teamed up, and the familiarity shows. There is a sharpness to the trailer-quick cuts, hard beats, and a city that never stops moving. Wright, A$AP Rocky, Ilfenesh Hadera, Aubrey Joseph, and Ice Spice are some of the prominent cast members.
The trailer leans hard into the film’s pedigree. Washington’s two Oscars, Lee’s long track record, and early buzz from Cannes are front and center. Review blurbs flash across the screen while a gritty rap track pulses underneath the action.
Highest 2 Lowest release date
The film drops in theaters on August 15, with a streaming release via Apple TV+ set for September 5. This gives audiences a few weeks to catch it on the big screen before it lands on their TV screens.
FAQs
When does Highest 2 Lowest release in theaters?
It hits theaters on August 15, 2025.
When will it be available on streaming?
The film lands on Apple TV+ on September 5, 2025.
Who stars in Highest 2 Lowest?
The cast includes Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky, Ilfenesh Hadera, Ice Spice, and Aubrey Joseph.
What is Highest 2 Lowest about?
It follows a music mogul whose son is kidnapped, pulling him into a tense ransom situation.
Is it a remake?
Yes, it is a modern remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low.
