Brett Ratner has not made a film in seven years following multiple allegations of sexual assault, but it appears he wants to attempt a comeback with Rush Hour 4. Rush Hour, which starred Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, is one of the defining buddy comedy movies of all time and was a big franchise for New Line Cinema in the late ’90s and 2000s. Aside from a short-lived television series, the franchise has remained dormant since Rush Hour 3 was released to mostly negative reviews in 2007. With Bad Boys Ride or Die and Beverly Hills Cop 4 recently proving that there is an appetite for nostalgic buddy comedies, it makes sense that a Rush Hour revival is now in consideration.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate is considering green-lighting Rush Hour 4, as Warner Bros. Discovery has allowed the franchise to be licensed to other studios. Reportedly, the pitch for Rush Hour 4 includes the return of franchise director Brett Ratner as a potential director and producer, which was a non-starter for both Paramount Pictures and Sony. Ratner has not worked on a film since 2017, where he was accused of sexual misconduct and assault by various individuals. While this is a claim that Ratner has continued to deny, any such claims immediately cast a cloud in Hollywood that is hard to disperse.
Seemingly as proof of this, a representative for Tarak Ben Ammar, the producer who acquired the rights to make Rush Hour 4 under his Eagle Pictures banner, has denied Ratner is in any way attached to Rush Hour 4.
Brett Ratner’s Rocky Road
Brett Ratner began his career making music videos in the 1990s before stepping up to direct his debut film, Money Talks, in 1997. His second feature was Rush Hour in 1998 was a hit, and led to him also directing sequels in 2001 and 2007. Ratner’s other credits include 2002’s Red Dragon and 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand. His most recent film as a director was 2014’s Hercules, which featured Dwayne Johnson as the musclebound hero of the title. Ratner also made a big name for himself as the co-founder of RatPac Entertainment, a production company that produced over 70 movies, including Gravity, Justice League, and Rampage.
Ratner was one of the first big names to be involved in the Me Too movement in 2017 in the wake of Harvey Weinstein’s downfall. Six women, including stars Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge, accused Ratner of sexual assault and harassment, while a former talent agency employee accused Ratner of rape. Elliot Page accused Ratner of harassment on the set of X-Men: The Last Stand, which included the director outing the actor as gay in front of the cast and crew. Following this string of allegations, Warner Bros. cut ties with Ratner and RatPac Entertainment.
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Rush Hour Cast and Character Guide
With the ever-present rumors of a Rush Hour 4, let’s look at the cast and characters from the first installment in the beloved buddy-cop franchise.
Ratner previously attempted to get Rush Hour 4 off the ground in 2018, which Warner Bros. immediately shut down. While Lionsgate might be considering Rush Hour 4, it still seems unlikely that they would be looking to bring in Ratner to direct, considering so many other studios have turned it down based on his involvement. Currently, there is no word on whether Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker will return, but as the heart and soul of the franchise, it would not seem worth moving forward without them. Even if Chan and Tucker were to return, Brett Ratner’s involvement in a potential Rush Hour 4 could be the decisive factor in whether we ever get to see the franchise back on screen.