It seems that the winds have changed for a stalled “Rush Hour 4,” with reports from multiple outlets this week indicating Paramount is circling a deal to distribute the latest installment in the buddy-cop franchise led by Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. The news was first reported by Matt Belloni. IndieWire hears Paramount is indeed in talks to distribute the film.
The first “Rush Hour” film released in 1998, followed by the second and third sequels in 2001 and 2007, collectively grossing an estimated $850 million for Warner Bros. to date. News of a possible fourth installment broke in 2017 — the same year that franchise director Brett Ratner was accused of sexual assault by a former Endeavor employee and sexual harassment or misconduct by six women, including actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, in a Los Angeles Times report. The controversy surrounding Ratner, who over the years became deeply entwined with Warner Bros., partnering with the studio via his company RatPac Entertainment, temporarily deterred industry players, including New Line, from getting involved in projects carrying his name.
Despite being persona non grata, Ratner has reportedly continued to shop around “Rush Hour 4” over the years. And now, it seems that his less-squeamish connections outside of the film industry are championing his cause.
Over the weekend, Semafor reported that President Donald Trump had been lobbying close friend Larry Ellison, father to David Ellison, the head of the newly merged Paramount Skydance, to bring back the franchise. Other outlets cite insider confirmation that Paramount is in talks to distribute the fourth installment. If the deal moves forward, it could be the first of many new collaborations between the Ellisons and Warner Bros., as Paramount Skydance is one of a few companies that have placed major cash bids on the legacy studio.
Whether the president is being driven by a love for politically incorrect, male-centric comedies of a certain era or to expand his influence on the entertainment industry, Trump stepping in on Ratner’s behalf is part of a familiar pattern of lifting up disgraced men who have supported him publicly. One of the few projects that Ratner has managed to get sold in the last few years is a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump, which was licensed to Amazon Prime Video and is expected to release in theaters this coming January. Unsurprisingly, the documentary has been described as casting the first lady in a favorable light, which surely didn’t hurt Ratner’s relationship with the president.
There are still very few details about the potentially revived “Rush Hour 4,” including what stage of the filmmaking process it’s in and who exactly is on board. There has been speculation that both Chan and Tucker would return as leads and that perhaps franchise producer Arthur Sarkissian would sign on to help steer. But with renewed publicity via the Trump connection, if it does go forward, we can expect to hear about it on Truth Social.