Paramount Skydance (PSKY) is reviving the Rush Hour movie series nearly two decades after the last installment – and it’s reportedly all thanks to President Donald Trump.
Trump “personally pressed” Paramount to revive the buddy-cop comedy move series, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Semafor reported this week.
Paramount (PSKY) will be paid a flat distribution fee to release Rush Hour 4 theatrically, Variety reported, citing sources. Warner Bros. (WBD), whose New Line Cinema label backed the previous Rush Hour films, will get first-dollar gross.
Rush Hour 4 will see the return of Chan and Tucker, as well as Brett Ratner, who directed all three Rush Hour movies.
Ratner’s career was derailed in 2017 after several sexual misconduct allegations, which led to Warner cutting ties with the filmmaker. He was never charged.
Warner allowed the franchise to be licensed to other studios, but Ratner’s involvement had been a nonstarter for potential takers, including Paramount, Semafor reported.
But Ratner’s recent work may have played in his favor. Ratner directed Melania, a documentary about first lady Melania Trump that’s set to hit theaters early next year. Amazon (AMZN) reportedly paid a $40M for the rights to make the documentary.