Trump's 'Phone Call' Saved It... 'Rush Hour 4' Confirmed for Production After 18 Years

Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker Confirmed to Star, Unusual Distribution Partnership Between Warner and Paramount Established

The influence of U.S. President Donald Trump is shaking up the production landscape in Hollywood. The production of the fourth installment of the action-comedy franchise 'Rush Hour' has been confirmed at the president's direct request after drifting for 18 years since the third film in 2007.

On the 25th (local time), major Hollywood media outlets such as Variety and Deadline reported that Paramount Pictures has decided to take on the distribution of 'Rush Hour 4'. It is said that a 'hotline' between President Trump and Oracle's Larry Ellison, the parent company of Paramount, has been activated, causing a stir in the industry.

The President's 'Top Pick' Moves the Hollywood System

President Trump recently mentioned on his social media platform 'Truth Social', "I have always loved 'Rush Hour'. It's fun and full of action, and the chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker is unmatched," adding, "America needs more movies like this."

According to industry insiders, after this post, President Trump personally contacted Larry Ellison to strongly encourage the revival of the franchise. This is expected to be recorded as an unusual case where the president's cultural preferences led the flow of capital.

The 'Rush Hour' series has been a cash cow, with the first film in 1998 earning $244 million, the second film in 2001 earning $347 million, and the third film in 2007 earning $258 million, achieving global box office success.

The Return of the Director Exiled by 'MeToo'... Is It a Political Pardon?

The biggest controversy surrounding this project is the selection of the director. The production company has decided to rehire Brett Ratner, who directed the original series.

Ratner was effectively exiled from the industry after being accused of sexual harassment and assault by multiple women during the Hollywood 'MeToo' movement in 2017. However, he recently directed a documentary featuring Melania Trump, creating a connection with the current administration, and announced his glamorous return through 'Rush Hour 4'. This has led to mixed reactions in Hollywood, with some criticizing it as a "political pardon" and others defending it as a "pragmatic choice for box office success."

Complex Calculations: Paramount vs. Warner Brothers

From a business perspective, this contract is intriguing. Warner Brothers (New Line Cinema) held the distribution rights to the original series, but Paramount will distribute the fourth installment.

According to the contract terms, Paramount has chosen a pragmatic structure where it only takes the distribution fee without bearing the production or marketing cost risks. In contrast, Warner Brothers, which holds the original IP (intellectual property), has reportedly agreed to a condition where it takes a certain percentage of the box office revenue upfront (Gross Participation) instead of distributing it directly.

Recently, Paramount, which completed its merger with Skydance, is aggressively planning to increase its annual film production from the current 8 films to 18 by 2028.

Meanwhile, President Trump is said to hope for the revival of male-centric action films from the 1980s and 1990s that he loves, with speculations that films like 'Bloodsport' starring Jean-Claude Van Damme could be the next target, raising attention to the potential emergence of a 'Trump Cinema' trend in Hollywood.