Paramount Paramount has officially greenlit the highly-anticipated fourth installment in the Rush Hour franchise, following a reported intervention by former US President Donald Trump on behalf of director Brett Ratner.
In a surprising turn of events, Ratner's troubled career trajectory appears to have received a significant boost after he had all but given up on reviving the beloved buddy-cop series. Despite years of struggling to secure financing and facing mounting criticism over allegations of sexual misconduct, Ratner was said to have been "shopped" around Hollywood without success.
However, Trump allegedly stepped in and championed the film to his friend and backer Larry Ellison, a prominent shareholder of Paramount Skydance. This intervention appears to have secured funding for the film and a distribution deal with Warner Bros.
Critics had long questioned the viability of Rush Hour 4, citing concerns over franchise fatigue and Ratner's own reputation following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. In fact, some even suggested that the franchise's return was a calculated move by Trump to inject old-fashioned masculinity into Hollywood culture.
Ratner himself has faced significant backlash for his past actions, including multiple instances of rape allegations against him. Despite this, he recently directed a documentary about Melania Trump, set to release in January on Amazon MGM Studios. The film marks a peculiar comeback for the embattled director.
The first three Rush Hour films grossed over $850m worldwide and remain beloved franchises in China. However, it remains to be seen whether the latest installment will recapture the magic of its predecessors or become the subject of renewed criticism given Ratner's past transgressions.
While some have expressed skepticism about the franchise's return, one thing is clear: Trump's intervention has brought Rush Hour 4 back from the brink of cancellation and into production. Whether this move was driven by creative passion or a calculated attempt to inject nostalgia into Hollywood culture remains to be seen.
In a surprising turn of events, Ratner's troubled career trajectory appears to have received a significant boost after he had all but given up on reviving the beloved buddy-cop series. Despite years of struggling to secure financing and facing mounting criticism over allegations of sexual misconduct, Ratner was said to have been "shopped" around Hollywood without success.
However, Trump allegedly stepped in and championed the film to his friend and backer Larry Ellison, a prominent shareholder of Paramount Skydance. This intervention appears to have secured funding for the film and a distribution deal with Warner Bros.
Critics had long questioned the viability of Rush Hour 4, citing concerns over franchise fatigue and Ratner's own reputation following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. In fact, some even suggested that the franchise's return was a calculated move by Trump to inject old-fashioned masculinity into Hollywood culture.
Ratner himself has faced significant backlash for his past actions, including multiple instances of rape allegations against him. Despite this, he recently directed a documentary about Melania Trump, set to release in January on Amazon MGM Studios. The film marks a peculiar comeback for the embattled director.
The first three Rush Hour films grossed over $850m worldwide and remain beloved franchises in China. However, it remains to be seen whether the latest installment will recapture the magic of its predecessors or become the subject of renewed criticism given Ratner's past transgressions.
While some have expressed skepticism about the franchise's return, one thing is clear: Trump's intervention has brought Rush Hour 4 back from the brink of cancellation and into production. Whether this move was driven by creative passion or a calculated attempt to inject nostalgia into Hollywood culture remains to be seen.
. It feels like Hollywood's trying to reboot his reputation as much as he is reviving Rush Hour.
. anywayz, i'm curious to see how rush hour 4 turns out, and if they can even touch the magic of the originals 
. On one hand, it's awesome that Paramount decided to revive the series – it's still got a ton of fans worldwide 
. But on another hand... well, you can't ignore the elephant in the room, right? I just hope they're prepared for the backlash if things don't quite live up to expectations 
. Can Rush Hour 4 really recapture that same magic from the original trilogy? Only time will tell 
.