Wed May 28 00:50:00 UTC 2025: **Spike Lee Hints at End of Denzel Washington Collaboration After Five Films**

**Cannes, France** – Director Spike Lee has suggested that his latest film with Denzel Washington, “Highest 2 Lowest,” may be their last collaboration. Speaking to journalists at the Cannes Film Festival, Lee stated that after five films together, he believes their creative partnership is coming to an end, largely due to Washington’s recent hints at retirement.

“It’s been a blessing to just have this body of work of us doing films that people love,” Lee said, referring to their previous collaborations, which include “Mo’ Better Blues,” “Malcolm X,” “He Got Game,” and “Inside Man.” “I don’t know if we’re going to do any [more] — I think this is it: five.”

Lee cited Washington’s repeated mentions of retirement as the reason for his expectation. “He’s been talking about retirement — even though he just did another deal,” Lee remarked, referencing Washington’s upcoming projects, including “Hannibal,” a collaboration with Steve McQueen, a film adaptation of “Othello,” a “King Lear” movie, and a potential role in “Black Panther 3.”

Washington has previously indicated that he intends to substantially decrease his film output in the coming years, focusing on working with top-tier filmmakers. While he clarified that he’s not fully retiring immediately, he suggested a shift towards more selective projects.

Adding to the intrigue, Washington’s mention of “Black Panther 3” caught the attention of Marvel fans. While his involvement remains unconfirmed, “Black Panther 3” producer Nate Moore expressed enthusiasm about the possibility. “We should be so lucky to have Denzel in the MCU,” Moore said.

“Highest 2 Lowest,” a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low,” is slated to hit theaters on August 22nd before becoming available on Apple TV+ on September 5th. Whether this marks the end of an era for Lee and Washington remains to be seen, but their five collaborations have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on cinema.

Read More