Spike Lee’s English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller of the same name from 1963 is currently in production.
And on Friday, a couple of the film’s lead actors – Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright – were caught in action shooting a scene on the streets of New York City.
All the action appeared to revolve around a blue and silver car that’s parked along the side of a street that has caught Washington’s interest.
The two-time Academy Award winner, 69, looks dapper in a blue three-piece suit that’s matched with a white dress shirt and tie, blue sneakers, and cool dark sunglasses.
Eventually, after making a short walk to the car, the actor gets into the back seat for a conversation with someone, which could be Wright, who was also shot in another scene getting out of the front driver’s seat of that same vehicle.
Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright were spotted on the set of the new Spike Lee film High And Low shooting a scene along the streets of New York City on Friday
High And Low marks the 25th feature film of Spike Lee’s career that dates back to his student production Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983)
While Washington walks towards the car with a big beaming smile empty handed, he reappears and gets out from the backseat holding a large brown envelop.
It’s also easy to notice that he doesn’t have that same glowing smile on his face once he steps out of the car.
The busy day of shooting also caught Wright in action on the streets dressed in a black sweatsuit with a white t-shirt, black sneakers, a white beanie cap over his shaved head, while sporting a goatee.
The Basquiat star looked to be all business during his scene where he steps out of the passenger’s seat seemingly in a hurry and then start making his move down the street.
The Washington, D.C. native would also be spotted in between shoots walking along the sidewalk with his phone in hand appearing to get mentally ready to do his next scene.
At one point, Wight flashed an infectious smile as he was making his way around a block seemingly chatting on his phone.
Lee, 67, would appear at various points offering up his thoughts on how he wants a particular shot to look dressed in a blue jacket with off-white pants, white glasses and a New York Knicks cap over his short hair.
He also had headphone around his neck to hear playbacks of the scenes they’re working on this day.
The shoot seemed to revolve around a blue and silver car that’s parked on the side of a street
Washington flashed his infectious smile as he addressed the person in the parked car
The actor seemed to laugh while smiling before he decided to get into the vehicle
While days on the film set are typically long past an eight-hour shift, Lee did make sure he arrived on time for the Knicks game at Madison Square Garden against the Brooklyn Nets later that evening.
In fact, the acclaimed writer and director would be pictured flashing a peace sign and a smile while being photographed sitting in his courtside seat.
And he had reason to be joyful as his beloved Knicks beat Brooklyn, despite a series of injuries to star players, in a close one, 111-107, behind Jalen Brunson’s 28-points and 11-assists.
Just two days earlier, Apple Original Films shared a photo on X (formerly Twitter) of Lee and Washington both flashing a ‘five’ with their hands to represent that they are now working on their fifth film together.
The actor would reemerge from the car holding a large brown envelop
The two-time Oscar winner was coming off his shoot for the much-anticipated epic historical drama Gladiator II from Ridley Scott that’s set to premiere in November 22
Wright’s scene involved the blue and silver car, for which he emerged from the driver’s seat
The Oscar-nominated actor slowly walked away from the car in another angle of the scene
The Basquiat actor offered a pleasant smile in between shoots, while seemingly getting into mode for the next task at hand
‘No. 5 now in production,’ it read in the caption of the April 10 post.
Previously, the duo worked on Inside Man (2006), Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Malcolm X (1992), and He Got Game (1998).
That means High And Low marks the first film the pair have worked on together in about 26 years.
Directed by Lee, who’s working from a screenplay he co-wrote with Alan Fox, the film is set for a theatrical release before entering the streaming world via Apple TV+
Along with Washington and Wright, the cast also includes Ilfenesh Hadera and Ice Spice.
Spike Lee attends the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks on April 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington both flashed a ‘five’ to represent that they’re now working on their fifth film together with the start of High And Low in early March
Kurosawa’s original 1963 film starring Toshiro Mifune was based on the Ed McBain novel King’s Ransom, which tells the story of a businessman’s ruin following a ransom payment to kidnappers.
The feature is being produced by Todd Black for Escape Artists and Jason Berman for Mandalay Pictures, according to Variety.
Lee will also serve as an executive producer through his 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks, along with Peter Guber for Mandalay and Matthew Lindner, Chris Brigham, and Katia Washington for Juniper Productions.
So far, there hasn’t been an official word on exactly when High And Low will premiere in theaters and the date that it will debut on Apple TV+
