Rush Hour 4 Goes Global: Brett Ratner Scouts China With Donald Trump

If you told me that the biggest push for another Rush Hour movie would come from President Donald Trump himself, I’d probably ask what year you think it is. But here we are: Rush Hour 4 is officially being revived, mostly thanks to Trump asking (or, more accurately, insisting) that the sequel happen. Let’s be honest, this is not the Hollywood development path anyone had on their 2026 bingo card.

Now, brace yourself, because things have gotten way more complicated than you’d expect for a buddy-cop movie sequel. This franchise has already been dormant for two decades, and the current attempt to restart the engine keeps running into potholes — almost all of them linked to money and contracts.

Why the Stall?

Here’s what’s really slowing Rush Hour 4 down:

• Salary complications: No movie here until Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker get the deals (and payday) they want. Both stars are still deep in negotiations — and apparently, it’s dragging on.
• Shooting delays: The plan was originally to start filming in the spring or summer. Then things slipped to late summer, maybe early autumn. At this point, they could be filming Christmas scenes in July if things don’t get sorted soon.
• Brett Ratner on board (literally): The director is taking the term ‘on board’ to a new level; reports say Ratner has actually joined an Air Force One flight just to get the ball rolling behind the scenes. You don't hear that ‘flew with the president to start production’ tidbit very often.

Who’s Back?

In case you skipped the sequels (or fell asleep during them), here’s the key lineup:

Expect Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker to return — once someone writes the right number on their checks — with Brett Ratner back in the director’s chair. That’s pretty much all we know about casting, though let’s be honest: if those two aren’t on board, it isn’t Rush Hour.

Quote of the Day

'President Trump personally requested that the next Rush Hour movie get moving.'

In other words: if you want to see Carter and Lee crack bad jokes and punch villains again, thank the handful of people who still remember how to use a landline at the White House.

So, What’s Next?

For now, everything hinges on getting those contracts inked. Production has not officially started, so don’t expect trailers or set leaks for a while. The wheels are spinning, but this car isn’t quite back on the highway.

Long story short: Rush Hour 4 could still happen, but nobody’s rolling cameras until Hollywood’s negotiation games wrap up. The saga continues (and I’ll keep you posted if Tucker, Chan, or someone with an even stranger cameo request gets involved).