After years of rumors and false starts, Rush Hour 4 is finally moving forward. And in a twist no one really saw coming, President Donald Trump is said to have played a role in the new deal.
Several outlets are reporting that Paramount is bringing the beloved Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker action-comedy franchise back to life, with Brett Ratner returning to direct the fourth film. Ratner led the original 1998 hit, which helped turn the mismatched-partner formula into one of the most recognizable buddy-cop pairings in modern Hollywood.
According to digital outlet Puck, the latest push came after President Trump personally lobbied Larry Ellison, the biggest shareholder of Paramount Skydance. Puck reported on X that Trump spoke to Ellison on Ratner’s behalf as conversations about the new film were taking shape.
The return of the franchise has been a long time coming. Fans have been buzzing about the possibility of another sequel for almost a decade. Jackie Chan confirmed back in 2022 that the team was “talking about” ideas and hinted that he had been speaking to a director, though he didn’t name anyone at the time.
Ratner’s involvement will likely stir conversation. In 2017, during Hollywood’s MeToo movement, multiple women — including actors Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge — accused him of sexual misconduct or harassment. Ratner denied the allegations, but the fallout stalled his career and put any Rush Hour revival on ice for years.
Trump’s connection to the project adds yet another unexpected layer. In his 1987 book Trump: The Art of the Deal, he wrote about his early fascination with the film industry. “I was attracted to the glamour of the movies,” he said, explaining how he once considered film school after graduating in 1964. “And I admired guys like Sam Goldwyn, Daryl Zanuck, and most of all Louis B Mayer, whom I considered great showmen. But in the end, I decided real estate was a much better business.”
I teased this last night in What I’m Hearing but now confirmed: Paramount WILL release Rush Hour 4 after prodding from Trump on behalf of Brett Ratner. Distribution deal. Producer Tarak Ben Ammar is lining up financing. Get ready for the dumbest possible state-controlled media.
— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) November 25, 2025
Paramount hasn’t finalized casting for Rush Hour 4, but the current expectation is that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker will return to their iconic roles. Fans have been eager for their on-screen reunion, especially since both actors have stayed active in their own careers. Chan appeared in The Shadow’s Edge and Karate Kid: Legends earlier this year and is set to star next in Panda Plan 2 and Guo Jia Jia in China.
For longtime Rush Hour fans, the mix of Hollywood nostalgia, franchise revival, and unexpected political involvement has made this comeback story one of the most surprising developments in entertainment.
