Producer Jason Michael Berman had almost given up on adapting Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic “High and Low” when he got a call from Denzel Washington’s agent. The rights were about to lapse, and Disney would lose the $10 million it spent on development costs. Berman teamed up with producer Scott Rudin to secure the rights for $150,000.
After three years of negotiations with the Kurosawa estate, they found writer Alan Fox, an unknown screenwriter who’d penned several unproduced scripts. Fox pitched setting the movie in New York music and drew from his experience working with a prominent record label executive. The script was developed with veteran producer Todd Black and eventually sent to Denzel Washington.
Washington’s agent had suggested bringing in Black, whom Berman knew from his internship days. With pressure high, Washington agreed to read the script only if it fit within his busy schedule. Fox relocated to Arizona to write for months, studying Washington’s films and absorbing Kurosawa’s autobiography. The resulting adaptation is a generational story about late-stage capitalism in America.
Spike Lee finally came on board after seeing the script and agreeing to collaborate with Denzel Washington for the fifth time. The film bowled at Cannes to strong reviews and stands at 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Berman credits A24 and Apple taking a chance on Fox, giving him his first produced screenplay.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/highest-2-lowest-denzel-washington-1236345565