Spike Lee’s ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ To Premiere At Cannes 2025 In Out Of Competition Section

April 11, 2025: Legendary filmmaker Spike Lee has announced that his latest crime thriller, Highest 2 Lowest, will debut at the prestigious 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film, starring Denzel Washington, has been invited to the festival’s “Out of Competition” section, where it will be showcased to the international film community.

Lee shared the exciting news with his fans on Instagram, saying, “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.”

The film is a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low and marks the fifth collaboration between Lee and Washington. The original Kurosawa film follows a shoe company executive who becomes the target of a ransom plot when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake. In Highest 2 Lowest, Washington plays a music mogul with a highly respected reputation in the business, which offers a modern twist to the classic tale.

The Cannes organizers confirmed the film’s inclusion in the Official Selection, stating that Highest 2 Lowest will be screened in the “Out of Competition” section on May 19, 2025, with Washington in attendance.

Spike Lee previously discussed the project at the Red Sea Film Festival in 2024, explaining that Highest 2 Lowest is not a remake, but rather a “reinterpretation” of the original film, bringing a fresh perspective and new themes to the iconic story.

This marks another significant milestone for Lee, who has consistently worked with Washington on critically acclaimed films like Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man. Their collaboration has become one of the most dynamic in modern cinema.

Other notable films expected to premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival include Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, Jochim Trier’s Sentimental Value, and the return of former Palme d’Or winner Julie Ducournau with her latest film, Alpha. The festival will run from May 13 to 24, 2025.

Fans of Lee, Washington, and cinema lovers around the world eagerly await the screening of Highest 2 Lowest, anticipating another landmark entry in their long and fruitful partnership.