Why Donald Trump Is Pushing His Hollywood Friend To Reboot 'Rush Hour' Franchise

Last Updated:November 25, 2025, 13:20 IST

Bringing back the 'Rush Hour' franchise, analysts say, is Trump's attempt to add another feather in his anti-woke MAGA hat, not to mention the perfect revenge on Hollywood

Both Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker have remained relatively Trump-friendly over the years.

US President Donald Trump wants Hollywood to revive th e hit buddy-cop franchise Rush Hour for a fourth installment, nearly 27 years after the first installment starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker hit the screens, American news website Semafor has reported. According to the report, Trump has been personally lobbying his friend and Paramount owner Larry Ellison to put in motion a new movie in the franchise.

The original 1998 Rush Hour film was a commercial success, blending martial arts with racial humour that defined 1980s-90s Hollywood comedy, but the franchise had effectively died after its third installment in 2007 failed to win over critics and moviegoers.

But is the US President just a nostalgic fan or is there a deeper significance in choosing to push for the renewal of this particular franchise?

According to the Semafor report, Trump is "offering some creative input on potential upcoming projects" and appears intent on revi ving "raucous comedies and action movies of the late 1980s to late 1990s."

To analysts, Trump isn't merely expressing casual interest in Hollywood — he's actively using his relationship with one of his most prominent financial supporters, who now controls Paramount and is positioned to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, to influence creative output at major studios.

Why 'Rush Hour'?

Trump has been known to prefer unapologetically masculine, action-oriented movies from pre-diversity Hollywood. According to the New York Magazine, this could be another "power grab" by Trump, albeit in a cultural arena.

Rush Hour paired an Asian martial-arts star and a Black American comedian in a broadly commercial 'buddy' format. It was successful, culturally resonant at the time, action-heavy, and predates many of Hollywood's conversations around 'wokeness', to which Trump and hi s MAGA followers are ideologically opposed.

One of the reasons the Rush Hour franchise stopped giving financial returns is said to be its broad racial humour that struggled to find audience acceptance in 2007.

Bringing back the franchise, analysts say, is Trump's attempt to add another feather in his anti-woke MAGA hat, not to mention the perfect revenge on Hollywood.

The Brett Ratner Factor

Although Rush Hour 4 has been on nostalgic fans' wish-lists — Jackie Chan even mentioned a completed script in 2017 — the project stalled largely because Warner severed ties with Brett Ratner, who directed the original franchise.

In 2017, Ratner became persona non-grata in Hollywood after allegations of sexual misconduct. His involvement reportedly became a deal-breaker for potential studios, including Paramount at the time.

According to Semafor, Ratner has recently found rehabilitation in Trump, spending months crafting an Amazon documentary about First Lady Melania Trump. The original Rush Hour producer Arthur Sarkissian also produced a flattering Trump documentary that premiered at Mar-a-Lago last year.

What About Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker?

Both actors have remained relatively Trump-friendly over the years. Jackie Chan batted for giving Trump a chance following his 2016 election, framing him as a businessman who understood complex negotiations. Chris Tucker, while relatively less enthusiastic, expressed hope for Trump's success and joked he could impersonate the President with accuracy.

With Hollywood A-listers being unapologetically and repeatedly vocal against Trump and MAGA, even neutrality or cautious optimism carries weight.

Where Does Larry Ellison Come In?

Oracle founder L arry Ellison is one of Trump's strongest and most prominent Silicon Valley allies. Ellison's Paramount acquisition, combined with his potential control of Warner Bros. Discovery (which includes CNN), creates a media empire potentially responsive to presidential input in ways traditional Hollywood never has been.

According to a report by The Guardian, Ellison and Trump officials have previously discussed removing specific CNN personalities should the Warner acquisition go through.

Are Audiences Ready?

Whether Rush Hour 4 actually gets made or succeeds is still uncertain. If Trump succeeds in influencing what Hollywood makes next, the ramifications could reach far beyond one film.

But one question that Hollywood studios will also want answered is — are 2025 audiences ready to return to the 1990s sensibilities where humour was defence enough for stereotypes?

Nitya Thirumalai

Nitya Thirumalai, News Editor at News18.com, writes on Indian and global politics as well as Formula 1. She was Google News Initiative-Columbia Journalism School Fellow in the inaugural Newsroom Leadership Prog...Read More

Nitya Thirumalai, News Editor at News18.com, writes on Indian and global politics as well as Formula 1. She was Google News Initiative-Columbia Journalism School Fellow in the inaugural Newsroom Leadership Prog... Read More

Location :

United States of America (USA)

First Published:

November 25, 2025, 13:20 IST

News world Why Donald Trump Is Pushing His Hollywood Friend To Reboot 'Rush Hour' FranchiseDisclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Read More