Njera Perkins Says ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Rollout is “Horrendous”
*In a HuffPost article, writer Njera Perkins directly addressed what she sees as a major misstep in Hollywood marketing. She described the rollout of Spike Lee and Denzel Washington’s new film Highest 2 Lowest as “horrendous.”
“One of the most anticipated movies of the year from a prolific filmmaker shouldn’t be suffering from lackadaisical marketing,” Perkins wrote.
She argued that in today’s short-attention-span culture, studios often rely on last-minute trailers and campaigns. But in this case, Perkins said the silence around Highest 2 Lowest felt like more than just late advertising—it felt like neglect, especially for a film led by Black talent.
Lack of Shine for Spike Lee and Denzel Washington
Despite its glitzy May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Perkins highlighted how little promotion followed. She noted that the film wasn’t even announced on the original lineup, with Spike Lee himself breaking the news on Instagram instead.
“It’s fair to ask why a new flick from one of the most prolific American filmmakers isn’t getting its proper shine in the limelight,” she wrote, “especially with a cast that includes towering figures like Washington and Jeffrey Wright.”
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Her piece also amplified fan frustrations. One TikTok user said: “We’re so used to studios not giving a damn when it comes to marketing Black projects, but to not market a Spike Lee and Denzel feature, their fifth one together? Ya’ll just love to piss me off.”
Lee and Washington’s Legendary Collaborations
Part of what makes the lackluster rollout so glaring is the history between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington. Their partnership has produced cultural milestones, including Malcolm X (1992), He Got Game (1998), and Inside Man (2006). Each film showcased Washington’s power as a leading man and Lee’s vision as a storyteller.
Highest 2 Lowest marks their fifth collaboration in nearly two decades, making it a highly anticipated reunion. Perkins and fans alike expected the project to receive the kind of attention reserved for cinematic events, not the muted push it ultimately got.
Marketing Push Too Little, Too Late
Though Lee and Washington appeared in interviews around release week, Perkins felt the effort was half-hearted. She contrasted it with blockbuster campaigns that “exhaust millions of ad dollars” to ensure reach.
“You would think such an event would get the red carpet rolled out, or at least a better marketing campaign than what we’ve seen thus far,” she argued.
Perkins tied the muted campaign to a troubling industry trend. She pointed to Disney+’s Ironheart and Marvel’s Eyes of Wakanda—projects also led by Black talent—that limped into release with minimal buildup. Meanwhile, Apple’s F1 film received a massive promotional push and box office success.
Hollywood’s Uneven Standards Amid “End of Woke” Claims
Her critique arrives as other commentators, including Sharon Waxman in The New York Times, describe a broader retreat from diversity-driven storytelling. Waxman’s essay, “The End of Woke Hollywood – Hollywood Is ‘Hot, Horny and White’ Again,” argued studios are chasing mainstream profits at the expense of socially conscious projects.
Perkins didn’t frame her argument in those exact terms, but she suggested the pattern is impossible to ignore. Black-led projects like Highest 2 Lowest, she said, consistently face marketing neglect despite proven audience interest.
Audience Reactions to Perkins’ Observations
Social media has been buzzing with responses to both Perkins’ HuffPost commentary and Waxman’s essay. Many echo Perkins’ point that “rules seem different” when projects aren’t designed to line Hollywood’s pockets.
“Hollywood was never ‘Woke’. Putting Black people in racially charged situations when it comes to movies is not woke… The majority of white projects are flops anyway… No wonder why Social media is winning…”
“Letting white people, especially white men, define what is/was Woke has always been the problem. Because it will always come with this white man arrogance that is ultimately off-putting.”
“It says something about the lack of any meaningful white culture that they have to dogwhistle black culture (woke) when talking about their own. They need the attention, and I’ll be waiting for the articles about made up liberal outrage at the slop they put out.”
Why Njera Perkins’ Commentary Matters
Perkins’ piece is more than a critique of a single movie rollout—it’s a call to examine Hollywood’s uneven support for projects led by Black creators. Her words reflect a frustration that high-profile collaborations like Lee and Washington’s fifth film together should be cultural events, not underpromoted afterthoughts.
“If Highest 2 Lowest doesn’t make noise at the box office — or even on streaming — it won’t be for lack of interest, that’s for sure,” Perkins concluded.
Her final point lands hard: audiences want the Spike Lee Joint. What’s missing is Hollywood’s belief—and investment—in ensuring it shines.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Spike Lee Retracts Claim That ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Marks Final Denzel Washington Collaboration
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