Rush Hour 4, produced by Armenian-American Arthur Sarkissian, has been reportedly greenlit at Paramount after U.S. President Donald Trump personally requested the revival of the franchise and urged Paramount leadership to move the project forward, prompting the studio to secure financing and initiate distribution plans. The development marks the first major development for the series in years, according to The Guardian, Newsweek, Deadline, Variety, and other industry outlets.
Armenian-American producer Arthur M. Sarkissian, who launched the original Rush Hour franchise in 1998, remains central to the series’ legacy. Sarkissian produced all three original films, which became global hits and helped shape the modern action-comedy genre. His work turned the series into an international blockbuster and a cultural touchstone for audiences in the United States, China, and beyond. For many Armenians, Sarkissian’s role in launching a major Hollywood franchise continues to be a point of pride.
According to The Guardian, Paramount will now move forward with a new installment directed by Brett Ratner, who previously helmed the first three films. Ratner had spent years attempting to get a fourth film off the ground but was unable to secure studio backing following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement. Ratner was accused of several instances of sexual assault in 2017, which derailed his career. He sued Melanie Kohler, a former Endeavor Talent Agency employee who alleged he “preyed” on her at a club and raped her at the home of Hollywood producer Robert Evans. The two settled in 2018. Kohler said in a 2017 statement that she hoped Ratner would be held “accountable for the way he’s treated the nobodies of the world or at least the way he treated me.”
Newsweek reports that Trump’s involvement intensified after he praised the franchise on Truth Social, writing: “I’ve always loved Rush Hour — funny, action-packed, and great chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. We need more movies like this!” According to Semafor, Trump has “personally pressed” studio leadership for another sequel, advocating a return to the “distinct action movies and comedies” of earlier decades.
Entertainment writer Jesse Hassenger commented on X that Trump “almost certainly wants Rush Hour 4 to happen because Brett Ratner wants it to happen and he wants Brett Ratner to be rewarded for his upcoming Melania puff piece movie. I’d be shocked if Trump had seen more than 40 percent of any single Rush Hour movie.”
The Guardian reports that the breakthrough occurred when Trump lobbied his friend and supporter Larry Ellison, the largest shareholder of the newly merged Paramount Skydance. Earlier this year, Paramount Global settled a lawsuit with Trump over a critical CBS News interview. According to Puck’s Matthew Belloni, Paramount has now secured funding for the film and reached a distribution agreement with Warner Bros, the previous home of the franchise through its New Line division. Belloni remarked on social media: “Get ready for the dumbest possible state-controlled media.”
Newsweek confirms that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are expected to reprise their roles as Detectives Lee and Carter. Both actors have previously expressed interest, though Paramount has not yet announced additional cast members or confirmed whether Trump will make any form of cameo appearance.
The original 1998 Rush Hour grossed more than $245 million worldwide and spawned two major sequels. The Guardian notes that the first three films collectively earned more than $850 million globally and achieved massive popularity in China. A fourth film had long been rumored but repeatedly stalled due to financing difficulties and Ratner’s industry exile. “Does the world really need or want Rush Hour 4?” the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw wrote. “If it did, surely we would have it by now? Market forces in the brutally commercial Darwinian jungle of franchise cinema would have created Rush Hour 4.”
According to Newsweek, Rush Hour 4 is now in early production stages, with additional casting and release information expected from Paramount. The studio will distribute the film on behalf of Warner Bros. Given its nostalgic appeal and the unusual political circumstances surrounding its revival, the production is expected to draw extensive attention.
The Guardian notes that the new sequel is widely viewed as part of Trump’s broader push to reintroduce what he considers old-fashioned masculinity into Hollywood. Trump has also appointed Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voight, and Mel Gibson as unofficial “special ambassadors” to Hollywood.
