Jeffrey Wright is to star in High and Low.
The actor will join Spike Lee’s English-language adaptation of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 crime thriller of the same name alongside Denzel Washington and Ilfenesh Hadera.
The original High and Low was loosely based on the 1959 novel King’s Ransom, written by Evan Hunter under the pen name Ed McBain. The book tells the story of a shoe company executive who falls victim to extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped and held for ransom.
It is unclear if Lee’s movie will follow the original storyline, and details about Wright’s role have not been revealed.
Production on the film is set to begin this month with Lee writing the screenplay with Alan Fox.
Wright was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role as frustrated writer and professor Dr. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in the movie American Fiction. He praised the promotion of the picture for helping him land the nomination, even though he missed out on the award.
“I’ve never had that in my career before. Never. These awards are not a reflection necessarily of the quality of work. There are so many wonderful performances that go unrecognized,” Wright told the i.
Although Wright has the starring role in American Fiction, he is more than happy to play supporting characters, as he has done in the James Bond franchise and The Batman.
“Yeah, I don’t always need to be the lead in a film. I think it’s healthy to play supporting roles, too. It’s good for the ego,” he said.
