The beloved Rush Hour franchise seems to be getting a 4th film, according to Jackie Chan. The martial arts actor announced the news while talking about his upcoming projects and taking a look back at his outstandingly successful career.
Whether audiences loved Rush Hour 3 or not, it's no doubt that the film franchise was a comedic staple of the late '90s to early 2000s. Fans loved the ludicrous buddy cop duo of Chris Tucker and Chan. The first film brings audiences two very different people with similar police backgrounds who have to work together. Chan plays Inspector Lee from Hong Kong, and Tucker plays Detective Carter, an LAPD detective who would sometimes be all talk. The two team up to save the Chinese consul's daughter while also tracking down a drug lord on the way.
While at the Red Sea International Film Festival, Chan announced that he will meet with an unnamed director to look over the Rush Hour 4 script. With an already-written script, there are questions about Tucker's involvement. There is no official word if Tucker will join the film, but Chan did say he would only do Rush Hour 4 if Tucker is involved. There are also questions about the director of the upcoming film, as the original director of all three films, Brett Ratner, was accused of sexual harassment and misconduct in 2017. For the sake of a successful film, producers and executives will hopefully make the right call and find a new director who could also redeem the film franchise.
Chan also spoke about the first time meeting Bruce Lee and how he would play up his injuries to get sympathy and more hits from Lee, causing Chan to get more work in the film industry as a stuntman. While Chan thought his Hollywood dream was over after repeatedly being typed cast, he agreed to do Rush Hour as his final Hollywood appearance. The successful actor admitted to thinking the first film would flop, but it did the exact opposite and sprang Chan into being a household name.
It would be fun to see how time has treated the two detectives and what they are up to now. As for Chan, he promises more films about love and less action. "In the old days, we used to go out partying, but now my ambition is to become the good Jackie Chan." Just like the first Rush Hour was supposed to be Chan's last Hollywood film, could Rush Hour 4 be his actual last action film? It would definitely be a full-circle moment for an actor who has devoted his life and body to doing what he's always loved.
Rush Hour 4 is in development.
Source: Variety