Paramount will distribute the new “Rush Hour 4,” reuniting Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker as studios team up amid industry shifts and bidding battles.
Paramount has stepped in to distribute the next installment in the Rush Hour franchise, marking a notable collaboration with Warner Bros.
Sources confirm the studio will handle the release for a double-digit-percent distribution fee, making the deal especially intriguing given the current industry landscape.
Paramount, owned by David Ellison, is among the companies reportedly bidding for Warner Bros Discovery, with Netflix and Comcast also in contention. The partnership represents one of the first joint efforts between the studios since Ellison assumed control of the Paramount lot.
The new Rush Hour sequel has had an unusual journey. Several studios reportedly passed on the project, including Warner Bros.’ own New Line Cinema, which originally launched the blockbuster Jackie Chan–Chris Tucker buddy-cop franchise.
The trilogy, directed by Brett Ratner, has collectively earned around $850 million worldwide since its debut in 1998, followed by sequels in 2001 and 2007. Both Chan and Tucker are expected to return for the long-anticipated fourth installment.
Ratner, who has largely remained out of the Hollywood spotlight following sexual assault allegations in 2017, settled a defamation lawsuit in 2018. He recently completed a documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump for Amazon MGM Studios set for a January 30 theatrical release.
Reports from Semafor indicated that Donald Trump personally encouraged the Ellison family to revive the Rush Hour franchise.
The project’s revival began circulating in August 2024, when Rush Hour 4 was shopped to multiple studios with Ratner attached. New Line ultimately allowed the film to be licensed elsewhere.
Tarak Ben Ammar, through his Eagle Pictures label, now holds rights to produce the sequel and aligned with original franchise producer Arthur Sarkissian to push the film forward.
The return of Rush Hour arrives at a moment when theatrical comedies are receiving renewed audience enthusiasm. Sony’s recent Bad Boys installments — Bad Boys for Life and Bad Boys: Ride or Die — posted strong global box office numbers, demonstrating sustained demand for action-comedy franchises.
