Ilfenesh Hadera, known for her role in “Godfather of Harlem,” is set to star alongside Denzel Washington in the upcoming film “High and Low.” Directed by Spike Lee, this English-language reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller is a collaboration between Apple and A24.
Based on the 1959 novel “King’s Ransom” by Evan Hunter, the original “High and Low” tells the story of a businessman caught in a web of extortion after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped. While details of Lee’s adaptation remain scarce, production is set to begin this month. Her role in “High and Low” has yet to be disclosed.
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The film is being developed and produced by A24, Escape Artists, and Mandalay Pictures, with Lee collaborating on the screenplay with Alan Fox. Todd Black and Jason Michael Berman are producing for Escape Artists and Mandalay Pictures respectively. Spike Lee serves as an executive producer through his production company, 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks, along with Peter Guber of Mandalay Pictures and others.
“High and Low” marks the fifth collaboration between Denzel Washington and Spike Lee, following their previous successes like “Inside Man.” Hadera’s involvement in the project follows her previous work with Spike Lee, including the acclaimed Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It” and films like “Chi-Raq” and “Oldboy.”
The original 1963 crime thriller, titled “Tengoku to Jigoku” in Japanese, which translates to “Heaven and Hell,” holds the 86th spot on IMDb’s Top 250 list. Scheduled is set to begin production this month, “High and Low.”