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After 35 years, Spike Lee says that his fifth movie with Denzel Washington could be the pair's final collaboration
The pair have worked on five movies together, with Malcolm X being our personal favorite, but that time may have passed due to the passage of time
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Many great director has their favorite actors to work with. Christopher Nolan always has Leonardo DiCaprio’s number on speed dial and Wes Anderson will probably always find a role for Bill Murray in his films. Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have, for the past four decades, built a similar relationship, but the director says that his latest film with Washington is probably their last – but not for anything bad.
Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have made five films together now, from 1990’s Mo’ Better Blues through to their recent Highest 2 Lowest. Speaking at this film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Spike Lee mused that this would likely be the last time he works with Washington. “This is the fifth one we’ve done together. It has been a blessing, this body of work between us, doing films that people love. And I think this is it.”
The reason isn’t a lack of desire to work together more; rather, it has more to do with the fact that Denzel Washington is now 70 years old. “He’s talking about retirement. But five films together: that’s good, they stand up.”
After Mo’ Better Blues, Spike Lee and Denzel Washington collaborated on what is likely the best movie they have made together, Malcolm X. Though Washington lost out on the Best Actor Oscar to Al Pacino that year, both Lee and many film fans feel the trophy should have gone to Denzel. “What he did with that film was amazing,” Lee recalled. “No disrespect to my brother Al Pacino – I love him. But Denzel in my opinion should have won.”
Highest 2 Lowest, a loose adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, is likely to be the final movie Spike Lee and Denzel Washington make together as the actor contemplates retirement – but not before he dips his toe into the MCU with a reported role in Black Panther 3. Because there is always time for a Marvel movie.
Highest 2 Lowest is out in US cinemas on August 22, 2025 before making the jump to Apple TV+ later in the year.
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