A new report from Semafor says President Donald Trump has been personally encouraging billionaire Larry Ellison (and his son David Ellison) to revive the Rush Hour movie franchise at Paramount — the popular buddy-cop series starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.
According to the New York Post, the push hinges on whether the Ellison family succeeds in the ongoing battle to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount Global, where Larry Ellison’s son David serves as CEO, is currently competing in that megadeal.
If the acquisition succeeds, the Ellisons would control the rights to the Rush Hour films.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in an image for Rush Hour – New Line Cinema
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Citing Semafor, the Post reported that Trump has “personally pressed” Larry Ellison to bring back the franchise and other energetic action-comedies reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s. Those close to the talks described Trump’s enthusiasm as part of a broader cultural preference for the films he was a fan of — titles like Bloodsport, which the president has openly praised.
The original Rush Hour trilogy, released between 1998 and 2007, blending martial arts, slapstick comedy, and cross-cultural banter. While the first film was a major hit, enthusiasm waned by the third installment.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour – New Line Cinema
The franchise’s original director, Brett Ratner, has been largely absent from Hollywood since multiple allegations of misconduct surfaced in 2017 — something the Post emphasizes. However, Ratner has been working behind the scenes on a separate project, including shadowing First Lady Melania Trump for a documentary slated for Amazon.
Further adding to the connection between Trump and the comedy action franchise, producer Arthur Sarkissian, long associated with Rush Hour, now runs the company behind The Man You Don’t Know — a documentary favorable toward Trump that includes interviews with members of his family.
Donald Trump clasps hands with Sylvester Stallone – YouTube, SkyNews Australia
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Trump’s interest in reviving classic action franchises is not new. He has invited high-profile figures like Sylvester Stallone and Mike Tyson to the White House, and has reportedly even eyed hosting a UFC fight on the White House lawn with Paramount broadcasting the event, according to Variety.
One detail likely to appeal to Trump, neither Jackie Chan nor Chris Tucker has ever publicly criticized him. Chan previously said in 2016 that Americans should “give him a chance,” while Tucker told Piers Morgan in 2018 that he wanted Trump to “do good.”
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker scream in Rush Hour – New Line Cinema
With Paramount Skydance favored by the Trump administration in the pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery, the president’s personal interest in a Rush Hour revival appears to be part enthusiasm, part timing. For now, the move remains a request, not a greenlit production.
If the acquisition succeeds, however, the Ellisons may soon have the option to bring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker back into action — just as the president hopes.
Do you think Trump is actually requesting the Rush Hour franchise come back? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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What a shock that Zion Don wants his chosenite friends to buy up more of the American media. And isn’t Jackie Chan devoted to the Chinese communist party now? Why exactly would any real American want to support that financially?