Director Spike Lee and actor Denzel Washington’s new movie, Highest 2 Lowest, is all set to release this year. With the release of its teaser trailer, fans have started to dig for information about the inspiration behind Highest 2 Lowest. This much-anticipated crime thriller will arrive in theaters on August 22, 2025, and will make its streaming debut on Apple TV+ on September 5.

Is Highest 2 Lowest based on a true story or book?

Denzel Washington’s upcoming movie Highest 2 Lowest has partially taken inspiration from a book.

The movie is an English reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, which was released in 1963. Meanwhile, the Japanese movie was loosely based on the novel King’s Ransom, written by Ed McBain, AKA Evan Hunter.

Apart from Washington, Highest 2 Low will feature A$AP Rocky, Jeffrey Wright, and Ilfenesh Hadera. As per the A24 website, the movie will focus on “a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the best ears in the business”, who “is targeted with a ransom plot” and “is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.” Additionally, Highest 2 Lowest will take place in the setting of modern New York City.

While speaking about the movie last year at the RSFF, renowned director Spike Lee said that one of his most amazing experiences at film school was to be “introduced to world cinema, not just Hollywood.” He further added how Kurosawa’s film Rashomon played an important role in his career. It led him to craft the movie, She’s Gotta Have It.

Other than the inspiration behind Highest 2 Lowest, Lee also spoke more about the impact of Kurosawa’s filmography on him. He stated how the theme of Rashomon loosely inspired his 1986 movie. The latter focused on “Nola Darling, who had three boyfriends, who each see her in a different way. From the very beginning of my career, I was influenced by Kurosawa.” (via Variety)

On the other hand, Highest 2 Lowest is the fifth time Lee and Washington have come together to work.