President Donald Trump has reportedly been pressuring Hollywood executives to resurrect the beloved Rush Hour franchise, marking an unexpected pivot from his typically combative stance toward China to embracing one of its biggest movie stars.
The president-elect has been lobbying Larry Ellison, Paramount Skydance’s largest shareholder, to greenlight a fourth installment of the buddy cop comedy series starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, according to sources who spoke to Semafor.
The move represents a fascinating contradiction for Trump, who built much of his political brand on antagonizing China through trade wars and diplomatic confrontations. Ellison’s company, which earlier this year settled a $16 million lawsuit with Trump over a 60 Minutes interview, has reportedly been receptive to the commander-in-chief’s Hollywood ambitions.
The Rush Hour revival appears central to Trump’s broader vision of injecting what he calls “old-fashioned masculinity” back into American cinema.
The franchise, which generated over $850 million worldwide across three films from 1998 to 2007, paired Tucker’s fast-talking LAPD detective James Carter with Chan’s Hong Kong police inspector Lee in a series of culture-clash comedies.
The films became cultural phenomena, blending martial arts action with buddy cop humor while showcasing both American and Chinese sensibilities.
Brett Ratner, who directed all three original Rush Hour films, has been attached to the potential fourth installment as both director and producer. However, Ratner’s involvement has proven controversial since 2017, when multiple women accused him of sexual assault – allegations he denied.
His attachment to Rush Hour 4 has reportedly been “a nonstarter for several studios, including Paramount and Sony,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Despite these obstacles, Ratner recently completed a $40 million documentary about Melania Trump for Amazon, suggesting his return to Hollywood may be gaining momentum under the new administration.
The timing of Trump’s Rush Hour push raises eyebrows, given his historically contentious relationship with China. Throughout his presidency, Trump consistently portrayed China as America’s primary economic and strategic rival, imposing tariffs and other trade restrictions that strained bilateral relations.
Yet his enthusiasm for reviving a franchise starring Chan – one of China’s most recognizable cultural ambassadors – suggests a willingness to compartmentalize entertainment from geopolitics.
Chan, who has been vocal in his support for the Chinese government and critical of Western democracy, represents precisely the kind of Chinese influence Trump has previously railed against.
Donald Trump has been trying to get “Rush Hour 4″ made for months, with both Chan and Tucker expressing interest in reprising their iconic roles.
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