The fourth Rush Hour movie is officially moving forward — and its path back to the big screen is every bit as dramatic as the franchise itself.
Variety reports that Paramount has struck a deal to distribute Rush Hour 4 on behalf of Warner Bros. for a double-digit percent distribution fee — one of the more unexpected studio pairings in recent memory. And with David Ellison’s newly restructured Paramount now actively bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery, the timing of this partnership is… interesting, to say the least.
But let’s rewind, because Rush Hour 4 has been sitting in Hollywood limbo for years.
A Franchise That Refuses to Fade — and a Sequel No Studio Wanted
The original Rush Hour trilogy (1998, 2001, 2007) racked up more than $850 million worldwide, cementing Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as one of the most iconic action-comedy duos ever. But when the idea of a fourth film resurfaced, finding a home for it proved to be a herculean task.
Multiple studios passed — including New Line Cinema, the very studio that launched the franchise.
A big reason?
Brett Ratner.
Ratner’s career stalled in 2017 after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. He denied the allegations and later settled a defamation suit in 2018, but he has not directed a film since 2014. His recent return to the spotlight came through a $40 million Melania Trump documentary for Amazon MGM Studios, set to hit theaters Jan. 30.
Now, Ratner is back in the director’s chair for Rush Hour 4.
Oval Office Influence? According to Semafor… Absolutely
In a twist that feels straight out of a movie, Semafor reports that President Donald Trump personally urged Paramount owner Larry Ellison to revive the franchise.
Sources say Trump — who has strong opinions about entertainment and a nostalgic love for late ’80s/early ’90s macho cinema — views Rush Hour as part of a broader push to bring back what he considers “classic male-driven” action comedies. Think big personalities, big stunts, and Jackie Chan doing something dangerous without a stunt double.
Paramount chose not to comment.
A Sequel Fans Have Been Waiting On for Years
The momentum behind Rush Hour 4 has been building slowly — very slowly.
We first reported back in 2022 that Jackie Chan told audiences at the Red Sea International Film Festival: “We’re talking about part 4 right now… I’m meeting with the film’s director tonight to discuss the script.”
Chris Tucker has echoed the same sentiment repeatedly, telling interviewers since 2019 that he and Chan want to do it — but admitted there were “a lot of moving pieces.”
Those pieces finally seem to be falling into place.
Why Paramount Wants This — and Why Now
Hollywood desperately wants comedy back in theaters, and studios have been watching Sony clean up with its Bad Boys revival:
- Bad Boys for Life (2020): $426.5M WW
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024): $404.5M WW
A Rush Hour reunion taps into that same nostalgia, led by two stars who haven’t shared the screen together in nearly 20 years.
For Paramount, though, this isn’t just a movie.
It’s strategy.
It’s leverage.
It’s a signal that the studio is willing to align with Warner Bros. in surprising ways while simultaneously trying to buy Warner Bros. Discovery outright.
Sometimes Hollywood really is stranger than fiction.