Spike Lee
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Spike Lee is preparing to deliver his latest body of work to the big screen and was present at the Cannes Film Festival this week, discussing his upcoming film, Highest 2 Lowest. During a press conference in support of the film, Spike Lee was asked a question, and he answered with an assumed swipe at President Donald Trump.
Spike Lee was flanked on the podium by Highest 2 Lowest co-stars, Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera. Lee, Wright, and Hadera largely spoke about their roles in the film, with Hadera reminding the media that, for as much as Highest 2 Lowest is another collaboration with Lee and leading man Denzel Washington, she has worked with Lee several times as well. Wright, a fan of Lee’s work, remarked that this is the first time he’s worked with the famed director.
Around the 22:37 mark, a reporter stood and asked if social media has compromised American values after noting that his film speaks a lot about integrity. Lee, freewheeling as ever, answered as only the Brooklyn native could.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know how much we can talk about American values considering who’s the president of the,” before trailing over to cover his mouth, but it was clear he was saying “the United States” to conclude his covered-mouth statement.
He added with exuberance, “My wife said: ‘Spike, be very careful what you say!’”
Lee, turning serious, continued by saying, “But here’s the thing, I don’t think that we can condemn social media. You can say the same thing about film, movies or whatever. So I’m not going to demonize the form.”
Wright answered as well, and shared his thoughts, adding that some developers of these massive social media platforms won’t allow their children to use those spaces.
A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, along with Wright’s son, Elijah Wright, making his big screen debut, are part of the cast.
Spike Lee’s full conference for Highest 2 Lowest from Cannes can be viewed below.
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If you’re familiar with Spike Lee’s illustrious career in the film industry then you know that whenever he collaborates on a project with the likes of Denzel Washington it’s going to be something to behold, and more than a decade after working together on Inside Man, the two are back at it in a new crime drama, Highest 2 Lowest.
Yesterday (May 5), we got our first trailer for their upcoming film and though details are scarce, according to Vulture, the film is loosely based on Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime film High and Low. Starring Denzel Washington alongside the likes of Jeffery Wright, A$AP Rocky, and Ice Spice (word?!), the teaser trailer seems to indicate that the plot will revolve around some shady business dealings and includes some elements of the music industry as we see Rocky recording in the studio.
We’ll have to wait to see how things will ultimately play out, but if it involves Spike Lee, Denzel and Jeffery Wright, it’s going to be some wild ish and we’re all for it.
Check out the trailer to Highest 2 Lowest below, and let us know if you’ll be checking it out when it drops in the comments section.
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Hate or it or love, Supreme is always good for a clutch collaboration. The ubiquitous streetwear brand has linked with Spike Lee to create a capsule collection with the renowned director’s 40 Acres & A Mule production company.
Source: Supreme / Supreme
The Brooklyn-bred director and screenwriter skyrocketed to fame after the release of his self-funded, black and white classic film She’s Gotta Have It. The flick also happened to feature Lee himself portraying the now iconic Mars Blackmon character, which Nike soon enough co-opted for the famed Air Jordan campaign considering he wore a pair of Air Jordan 1’s in the film. Lee discussed how it went down in a sit down interview (which also features plenty of dope insight into his decades of work) released by Supreme (see below).
But, there are no Air Jordan callbacks in this Supreme drop. Instead, Lee’s critically acclaimed Malcolm X and Clockers make their way into the mix. The collab consists of an ill black Varsity jacket, a couple of tees, a Clockers 6-panel hat and a baseball jersey. While one tee is attuned to Malcolm X, the other features a photo of Lee while he’s in director mode.
The collection releases Thursday, April 24 at the usual 11am ET online drop time, and in stores. Asian shops gets their product the next day. Check out detailed photos below.
1. Spike Lee x 40 Acres x Supreme
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The next movie by Spike Lee has attracted heavy attention, as it represents his fifth time working with Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, but the origins of the casting of rapper A$AP Rocky in the movie is also generating buzz. As the esteemed filmmaker is preparing for the premiere of his latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, he revealed that he was inspired to add A$AP Rocky to the cast after seeing a meme that compared the Grammy Award-nominated rapper to Washington.
“What’s funny is that I was looking at Instagram four or five years ago and people were saying that A$AP looked like he’s Denzel’s son,” Spike Lee said during his appearance on the latest episode of the 7PM In Brooklyn podcast hosted by former NBA star Carmelo Anthony and Kazeem Famuyide. “Everyone was saying it. I seen those memes and then in the film, we used that.” The meme shows childhood photographs of Washington and A$AP Rocky bearing a resemblance to each other. Lee suggested that viewers might see that acknowledged at some point in the upcoming movie.The Bamboozled director also praised the rapper’s acting chops. “A$AP, man, he fire,” Lee said. “I mean, there’s some scenes where him and D head to head – he ain’t backing up. Like, ‘I’m here too.’ So very, very happy with the way the film turned out and looking forward to sharing it with the world.” A$AP Rocky, aka Rakiem Myers, isn’t a stranger to the big screen – he made his debut in the 2015 film Dope, and was in If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You. That film, like Highest & Lowest, was produced by A24. Lee has hinted that A$AP Rocky has a “major” role in the movie.Highest 2 Lowest is set to make its debut at the Cannes International Film Festival next month. Billed as a reinterpretation of High and Low, the 1963 film from Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, Lee stated: “In our film Denzel Washington is a music mogul with his own label and his reputation as the best ears in the business.” Highest 2 Lowest also stars Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, John Douglas Thompson, and Ice Spice in her first film role.
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Despite being left off Thierry Frémaux’s list of Official Selection titles Thursday morning, Spike Lee’s latest film, Highest 2 Lowest, will debut Out of Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Taking to Instagram, Lee announced the good news, writing in the caption of a photo featuring production merch from the upcoming film “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.”
Following Spike’s announcement, the film festival confirmed the film’s addition and also revealed why it was left off the list.
“The film was not announced this morning due to one final piece of information we were awaiting — the confirmation of Denzel Washington’s presence at Cannes. Highest 2 Lowest, directed by Spike Lee, will indeed be presented as part of the Official Selection, Out of Competition, and will be screened, in the presence of Denzel Washington, on Monday, May 19, 2025,” the statement read.
Spike Lee Kurosawa’s 2 Lowest Is A Reimiganing of The Original Film
As for the film, Lee confirmed while speaking at the Red Sea Film Festival that his film is not a remake of AkiraKurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller High and Low but a “reinterpretation.”
The film will reunite longtime collaborators Lee and Washington for a fifth time. The duo previously worked on Malcolm X, Mo’Better Blues, He Got Game, and Inside Man.
While Kurosawa’s film followed an executive at a Yokohama shoe company who gets extorted after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
In Lee’s reimagining of the original, Washington plays a music mogul who runs a music label.
Per Deadline:
“In Kurosawa’s film, Toshiro Mifune is a shoemaker,” said Lee. “In our film, Denzel Washington is a music mogul with his own label and his reputation as the best ears in the business. So, this is the fifth film with the dynamic duo.”
Apple Original Films and A24 will partner on Lee’s nexrt joint. A24 will handle the film’s theatrical release before its launch on launch on AppleTV+.
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A$AP Rocky will indeed be taking his main character energy to Hollywood. Spike Lee has confirmed he will have the main role in his new upcoming film.
As reported by Hype Beast the legendary movie marker recently conducted an interview with Deadline. During the Q&A the Brooklyn, NY native discussed reuniting with his longtime collaborator Denzel Washington on his forthcoming film Highest 2 Lowest. The project is inspired by the 1963 crime thriller High and Low. “This is not a remake, this is a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s great film” Spike says. The original follows a high profile executive who is extorted after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for payment.
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“In Kurosawa’s film, Toshiro Mifune is a shoemaker,” said Lee. “In our film Denzel Washington is a music mogul with his own label and his reputation as the best ears in the business. So, this is the fifth film with the dynamic duo.” The two have worked on several iconic movies including Malcolm X, Inside Man, He Got Game and Mo’ Better Blues. When asked for further details on the plot Spike Lee didn’t elaborate further but did share that A$AP Rocky has the “the main role” in the film. Fellow rapper Ice Spice also has a part in Highest To Lowest.
You can see Spike Lee discuss the project below.
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Spike Lee defended former President Barack Obama’s comments on undecided Black male voters in an interview.
In an interview on MSNBC, celebrated filmmaker Spike Lee defended former President Barack Obama’s comments on Black male voters when it came to Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Ari Melber brought up male voters from different backgrounds who’ve expressed skepticism about her being in the White House and “breaking towards Trump” when Lee interjected.
“It’s sad but true, some of my brothers have been drinking that Kool-Aid and I just hope that they get their minds straight, get their minds right, in time for this election,” Lee said to Melber. “If they’re conscious, if they’re aware, there’s nothing that this other guy can do that’s going to put us — not just Black folks — but Americans, in a better position going forward.”
Spike Lee referenced Obama’s speech earlier this month in Pittsburgh when he stated that Black male voters weren’t supporting Harris’ presidential campaign, saying he’s “got a problem with that” and inferring that sexism was at play. “Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president,” he said in his speech. Obama’s remarks garnered him a huge wave of criticism – some from allies who feel he shouldn’t come down so hard on Black men who have traditionally voted strongly for Democrats in the past.
“I gotta give credit to President Obama because he’s been going really hard on the brothers — some might think too hard, but I don’t think so,” Lee said. “We gotta wake up and don’t go for the okie doke, the flim-flam — can’t do that. We gotta support our sister to be the first woman president of the United States of America and the first sister.” The interview took place shortly after the Brooklyn, New York, native received the National Medal of Arts from President Joe Biden at the White House Monday (Oct. 21), along with 38 other noted artists and personalities.
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1848476876353724517
Check out the entire interview above.
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A$AP Rocky is taking his talents back to the big screen. He has been confirmed to be in Spike Lee’s upcoming film High And Low.
As spotted on Hypebeast the Harlem, New York, native was recently spotted filming for a new project. Paparazzi captured photographs of Lord Flacko shooting a scene of his character Yung Felon in handcuffs being led by police into what seems to be a police station. Supporting him are crowds of his friends, family and fans holding up signs asking for proper justice to be served. He is wearing a navy blue baseball jersey, baggy fitting jeans and Timberland construction work boots. Earlier this year, it was announced that Ice Spice was also added to the cast.
High And Low is is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name. The movie stars Denzel Washington and marks his fifth movie with Spike Lee. According to Wikipedia, the original follows a high ranking executive who is presented the opportunity of either accumulating a massive amount of power and wealth or lending his employee money to free his child from kidnappers. High And Low was written by Spike Lee and Alan Fox. Production started back in March and is expected to be released in 2025.
In recent A$AP Rocky news, the “Fashion Killa” MC released his newest capsule collection with PUMA. You can read about it here.
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Well, that was fast; Ice Spice is going Hollywood.
Variety exclusively reports that Ice Spice is joining the cast of Spike Lee’s High and Low, an English reinterpretation of the Japanese crime thriller of the same name by Akira Kurosawa.
The original 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune, based on the Ed McBain novel King’s Ransom, follows a businessman whose life is ruined after making a ransom payment to kidnappers.
The “Munch” rapper will make her acting debut alongside Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington and recently Academy Award-nominated Jeffrey Wright in the upcoming Apple Original Films and A24 project.
What her role will be in the project remains a mystery.
Per Variety:
“High and Low” will mark Ice Spice’s acting debut, and she’s already begun shooting for the project starring Denzel Washington.
The rapper skyrocketed to fame following the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” and subsequent collaborations with Pink Pantheress, Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift. She was nominated for four Grammys this year, including best rap song and best new artist. Ice Spice’s first studio album, “Y2K,” is due out this year.
The film will be Lee and Washington’s fifth theatrical collaboration. The actor has also starred in Mo Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man.
Apple Original Films confirmed the film was in production by sharing a photo of Lee and Washington.
Social Media Reacts To The News
The reactions to the news of Ice Spice’s involvement in the film have been met with confusion and some excitement.
“This movie gonna be lit asf,” one person X, formerly Twitter, said in response to Variety’s reporting.
Another person added, “Words can’t describe how badly I want this movie to succeed.”
“This is hilarious but we need to issue a fatwa on spike lee remaking classic asian films,” another post read.
Whether you like it or not, Ice Spice is coming to a big screen near you. We trust Spike Lee, so we can’t wait to see what he cooks up with High and Low.
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MSCHF, the Brooklyn-based art collective that landed on many radars with the release of their Big Red Boot just dropped a new boot that’s sure to get people talking once more. Tapping legendary Brooklyn native Spike Lee, MSCHF is set to release its new 2X4 Boot that is most certainly a riff on a classic boot beloved by many in New York and abroad.
As spotted on Nice Kicks, it appears that the MSCHF 2X4 Boot is an elaborate return shot at VF Corp, the company that owns Timberland. According to the outlet, the 2X4 Boot is in response to VF Corp taking legal measures to halt the sale of the brand’s Wavy Baby shoe collaboration with Tyga, which took the classic Vans silhouette and added some wavy flair. Max B would’ve loved these sneakers, if you catch our drift.
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The latest from MSCHF is a continuation of the brand’s satirical outlook as the brand pokes fun at Timberland, owned by VF Corp, which also serves as the parent company for Vans.
Vans successfully won an appeal to prevent MSCHF from selling its “Wavy Baby” shoes and the Brooklyn-based art collective has returned to troll Vans’ parent company, VF Corp, with a knock-off boot of its subsidiary Timberland brand.
The 2X4 Boot drops on March 19 and retails for $400. We expect this one to have a nice run similar to the Big Red Boot and the backstory is one for the ages.
Check out MSCHF here.
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