Trump Reportedly Urges Ellisons to Revive ‘Rush Hour’ Franchise

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Sources say Donald Trump wants Paramount to make another Rush Hour movie.

The president has been discussing new projects planned for the studio owned by Larry Ellison, a major financial backer of his. Ellison is currently buying Warner Bros., which includes all of its movies and filmmaking facilities.

Donald Trump appears to want to bring back the types of action comedies and buddy movies that were popular in the late 80s and 90s.

According to a source with knowledge of the discussions, Donald Trump really enjoys the 1988 martial arts film Bloodsport, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also apparently asked John Ellison to revive the 1998 comedy Rush Hour, which was directed by Brett Ratner and featured Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.

The first Rush Hour movie was a hit because it cleverly mixed martial arts action with comedy and a classic buddy-cop story. It starred Jackie Chan as Hong Kong Inspector Lee and Chris Tucker as Los Angeles detective James Carter, who join forces to save a kidnapped diplomat’s daughter. The script, by Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna, was first developed in 1995, but it took a few years and a change of studios before New Line Cinema decided to make the film. Shot in California, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong, it came out in September 1998 and was a box office success, earning over $245 million globally. Critics especially loved the on-screen chemistry between Chan and Tucker, and the movie led to two sequels released in 2001 and 2007.

Film producer Dallas Sonnier believes we might see a return to action movies featuring strong, traditionally masculine heroes if Donald Trump were to influence filmmaking. He envisions films with brave, confident characters – perhaps a little arrogant – who are committed to doing what’s right, and plenty of exciting action sequences like explosions, shootouts, and car chases.

According to sources, Donald Trump is mainly offering ideas and suggestions for the project, not managing its actual creation. While neither Ellison nor Paramount has publicly confirmed the project, people familiar with the situation say they are in talks about it.

If successful, this could bring back a popular action-comedy series from the late 90s, updating its mix of martial arts, funny moments, and exciting stunts for today’s viewers.

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2025-11-24 13:14