Denzel Washington’s New Streaming Movie Is the Most Watched Movie on Any Service Right Now

Denzel Washington and Spike Lee have established themselves as a dynamic duo, collaborating five times to date. Whether they’re chronicling the life of Malcolm X or crafting one of the best heist movies in recent memory, audiences can expect a high level of quality when Washington and Lee work together. That was certainly the case for their latest endeavor, Highest 2 Lowest, a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s seminal film High and Low that stars Washington as a music mogul whose son is seemingly kidnapped. Highest 2 Lowest earned positive reviews when it premiered earlier this year, continuing a decades-long Rotten Tomatoes trend for Washington and Lee. That word of mouth has led to high viewership numbers.

According to a streaming chart put together by Reelgood, Highest 2 Lowest was the most-watched film on any streaming service for the week of September 4th-10th. It ranked third overall on the top 10, behind only TV series The Paper and Wednesday. On FlixPatrol, which measures the popularity of titles available on streaming services, Highest 2 Lowest is lapping other films on Apple TV+ with a sterling 1,000 score. The second-place movie, The Gorge, has a score of 691.

Should Highest 2 Lowest Have Gotten a Wider Theatrical Release?

Prior to premiering on Apple TV+ on September 5th, Highest 2 Lowest received a limited theatrical release, grossing just $1.5 million domestically from 100 locations. This was presumably done to ensure the film can qualify for awards consideration this year, but it was a somewhat questionable strategy for a project with such pedigree behind it. With Highest 2 Lowest earning positive reviews and becoming a massive draw on streaming, it’s worth wondering if Apple should have given it a wider release in theaters.

Lee has never been one to break box office records, but his name carries a lot of clout in the film industry and he has a passionate following. His last pre-pandemic feature, 2018’s BlacKkKlansman, grossed $93.5 million worldwide. The previous Lee/Washington collaboration, 2006’s Inside Man, is the highest-grossing film of Lee’s career with $184.4 million globally. Those aren’t massive figures, but they’re proof Lee can draw a large enough audience to a mid-budget film. Washington is also still more can capable of headlining a hit, as 2023’s The Equalizer 3 made $191.1 million. Seeing how popular Highest 2 Lowest is on streaming indicates it might have been able to land in that ballpark if it had a wide release.

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Of course, that logic is a bit flawed. The convenience of streaming makes it easier for people to check out films they wouldn’t necessarily watch in the theater. Several movies that underperformed at the box office later went on to top streaming charts. There’s a difference between cueing up the new Denzel Washington movie for “free” from the comfort of home and scheduling a night out around it. The theatrical landscape changed drastically after the pandemic, and it’s become harder for mid-budget titles like Highest 2 Lowest to make a sizable splash at the box office. It seems unlikely that everyone who watched the film on Apple TV+ during its first week would have made the trip to the theater to watch it on the big screen. That would have impacted whatever box office prospects Highest 2 Lowest had.

On paper, a new film from Denzel Washington and Spike Lee seems deserving of the widest theatrical release possible — and in a different era, Highest 2 Lowest probably would have had box office success. But Apple’s release strategy is the latest illustration of the new normal for the industry, and it’s hard to argue against it. Highest 2 Lowest is certainly worth watching, but it isn’t F1 — Apple’s high-octane racing drama that was tailor-made for the big screen. In F1‘s case, Apple felt the immersive spectacle could carry a strong box office run, a bet that paid off. Highest 2 Lowest is a different kind of film, built more around performances and character drama than exhilarating set pieces (though it still has some exciting sequences of its own). Apple probably made the right call going with a limited release for Highest 2 Lowest.

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