“Rush Hour 4” returns to theaters, backed by Donald Trump, Ratner, and the original stars.
The action-comedy franchise “Rush Hour” is getting a fourth installment, and this time, the buzz isn’t coming from Hollywood alone. According to reports, Donald Trump personally pushed for Paramount Pictures to distribute the new film. Brett Ratner, who directed the first three movies, is set to return as director.
Chan, Tucker And Trump
A source familiar with the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Paramount is in the final stages of discussions. The studio would handle only the theatrical distribution and would not finance the movie. Warner Bros., which released the previous three films, had previously passed on the project, leaving Ratner to shop it to other studios.
According to Semafor, Trump personally reached out to Paramount to support the film. This happened around the time Paramount merged with Skydance in an $8 billion deal that required government approval. Trump has publicly praised David Ellison, the studio’s new chairman and CEO, whose father Larry Ellison is one of Trump’s prominent supporters.
“Rush Hour 4” will reunite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, who starred in the original films from 1998, 2001, and 2007. No release date has been announced yet. Chan is now 71, and Tucker hasn’t led a film since the third installment of the series.
“Rush Hour 4” Finds A Home At Paramount
Paramount will receive a flat fee for distributing the film and will not cover marketing or production costs. Warner Bros. will still participate financially, earning a share of box office revenue from the first dollar. Several other studios were approached before, but none were willing to be involved because of Ratner’s participation.
The first three films were major international successes, with the original grossing around $244 million, followed by $347 million and $258 million for the sequels. Since then, the market for traditional comedies has changed, and the production timeline for the new film remains uncertain.
Ratner recently directed a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump. Amazon MGM Studios acquired the film and plans to release it in theaters at the end of January. “Rush Hour 4” will mark Ratner’s first feature film since 2014.
Presidential Push For “Rush Hour 4”
Paramount is currently expanding its film slate, planning to significantly increase the number of annual releases in the coming years.
Observers suggest that Trump’s support for “Rush Hour 4” may be linked to Ratner’s connection with the First Family. Through his work on the Melania Trump documentary, Ratner reportedly had frequent personal contact with the family. This connection could explain why Trump took an interest in the project and encouraged Paramount to distribute the film, although the White House has not offered an official explanation.
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