(January 24, 2020) LOS ANGELES — Oscar-winning auteur Spike Lee will introduce the 2021 Cadillac Escalade in Hollywood on Tuesday, Feb. 4, with the premier of “Anthem,” a short film he directed.

Filmed with Lee’s signature Double-Dolly technique, which heightens the sense of motion to draw viewers closer to the character, the film captures the presence, innovation and movement of the next-generation Escalade, with reverence for its more than two decades as a cultural icon.

“I’m honored to be part of the next generation of the Escalade, which embodies style, luxury and prestige conveyed without pretension,” said Lee.

“As one of the greatest storytellers and most creative filmmakers of his time, Spike Lee’s unique perspective is the perfect conduit for sharing the passion and spirit of the 2021 Escalade,” said Steve Carlisle, Cadillac president. “It is an icon reimagined.”

Among the features the sweeping film highlights is the new Escalade’s industry-first curved OLED screen technology, which offers bold imagery, perfect blacks and the largest color range of any automotive display in production today.



The next-generation Escalade’s launch builds on a 22-year legacy — with 15 years as the segment leader — of iconic style, inimitable presence and unparalleled cultural influence.

It was a pioneer of the large luxury SUV movement and quickly established itself as the segment’s preeminent entry, channeling Cadillac’s signature design, technology and performance in a new proportion.

Sales leaped more than 35 percent when the second-generation model arrived in 2001 (2002 model year) and grew another 55 percent the following year, when the versatile Escalade EXT model entered full production. By the conclusion of its fifth anniversary in 2004, Escalade sales had ballooned approximately 160 percent and the vehicle had redefined the lexicon of luxury vehicles for trendsetting influencers in business, entertainment and beyond. It had become a cultural phenomenon.

Today, cumulative U.S. sales have exceeded 806,000, with total global sales of approximately 900,000, including ESV and previous EXT and Hybrid models.