Whenever Spike Lee and Denzel Washington team up, the result is often iconic—and Highest 2 Lowest is already shaping up to continue that streak. The newly released trailer for Lee’s upcoming film drops big names and bigger energy, teasing a New York-set thriller rooted in Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic High and Low.
Set to James Brown’s “The Big Payback”, the trailer shows Denzel Washington delivering a hard-boiled monologue over rapid-fire scenes of NYC life: street parades, tense police operations, and bullets flying into luxury cars. At the heart of it all is Washington, commanding as ever.
But that’s not all: Highest 2 Lowest introduces A$AP Rocky as a rapper named Yung Felon, and features Ice Spice, marking one of her first major acting roles. Though Ice Spice doesn’t appear in the trailer, Rocky gets a few slick shots in—and Spike Lee has already praised his performance as “fire” during a recent chat with Carmelo Anthony.
The cast also includes the always-excellent Jeffrey Wright, giving the film an extra layer of gravitas. For fans of Lee’s past collaborations with Washington—Malcolm X, He Got Game, Mo’ Better Blues, Inside Man—this latest outing is another must-watch.
While the trailer keeps plot details close to the chest, its purpose is clear: remind viewers what happens when two legends share the frame. And with fresh talent like A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice joining the mix, Highest 2 Lowest promises both tension and cultural energy.
Highest 2 Lowest hits theaters August 22 and streams on Apple TV+ starting September 5. A$AP Rocky, who also co-chaired the 2025 Met Gala, adds yet another standout credit to his growing creative résumé.