Denzel Washington’s new movie Highest 2 Lowest is all set for theatrical release, and fans are not happy with its limited 2 week run before it hits 2 Apple TV+. Director Spike Lee and Denzel Washington have collaborated in several films before; this one, probably Washington’s last, needs a bigger theatrical run to honor the brilliant actor’s film journey.

Feels like a disservice to the artistic pedigree of the film, and is a huge misstep by Apple TV+. The movie has already debuted at Cannes 2025 to receive raving reviews and a standing ovation. The movie deserved a victory lap across theatres globally, rather than a discrete pit stop. A movie of this magnitude deserves a full theatrical rollout rather than just streaming credits.

Officially, yes, the movie is getting a theatrical release. It drops in theatres on August 22, 2025, in the USA. The problem is that it stays in theatres only for two weeks before moving on to Apple TV+. Even though this technically qualifies as a theatre release, it is limited, and the time just isn’t enough to create the kind of buzz the movie deserves.

This is a strategy several productions have taken to give a movie just enough theatre time as required for them to qualify for awards, and then move on to streaming platforms exclusively. But this isn’t just any film; this is Washington’s return to collaboration with Spike Lee, after having delivered iconic movies like Inside Man and Malcolm X. This movie is iconic because of its pace, thriller plot, and stellar star cast.

The critics have already called it one of his finest performances, and director Lee has himself described the production as historic. Restricting the Highest 2 Lowest to a limited rollout is setting the wrong example that streaming is the priority, creating a theatrical legacy isn’t.

Denzel Washington is a veteran actor with years of experience and an array of roles to his credit. He has recently dropped hints about slowing down, I’m getting more selective in his future roles. If the legend is near his last few performances, they deserve a more refined screen presence than a two-week limited release, and this is what seems to have irked ardent fans. In an interview with Australia Today, Washington said:

I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70. After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next Black Panther. After that I’m going to do the film Othello. After that I’m going to do King Lear. After that I’m going to retire.

If this is Spike Lee and Washington’s final collaboration, then this is nothing less than cinema gold that deserves wider recognition. Denzel Washington is a living legend who has bestowed upon us movies like Glory, Fences, Training Day, and The Equalizer. Fans feel robbed of the opportunity of a moment in history and pay the reverence that Washington deserves.

It may be a calculated decision on the part of the distributors and Apple TV+, but the fans have been left feeling dissatisfied with it. They seem to have displaced the importance of cinematic history in motion and miscalculated the cultural appetite for Lee and Washington’s collaboration.