Action star Jackie Chan, now 71, has reignited excitement for a fourth Rush Hour film, urging studios to move quickly before he and co-star Chris Tucker are “100 years old.” Speaking at the Karate Kid: Legends premiere in May 2025, Chan humorously emphasized the urgency, saying,
“Hurry up! Otherwise, Chris Tucker and me will be 100 years old. We’ll be old men doing Rush Hour”
For fans in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, the prospect of seeing the iconic duo back in action stirs nostalgia for a franchise that defined buddy-cop comedy.
The Rush Hour series has become a worldwide phenomenon since its launch in 1998, with over 849 million dollars earned worldwide from the trio of films. Starring Chris Tucker as LAPD Detective James Carter and Hong Kong Chief Inspector Lee played by Jackie Chan, the series is a combination of martial arts, comedy, and intercultural chemistry. The original two films, which came out in 1998 and 2001, were a critical and commercial success, but Rush Hour 3 in 2007 was criticized for its expensive budget, with the actor himself commenting,
“Too much money is no good”
The franchise’s appeal spans continents, resonating with U.K. and Australian audiences for its universal humor and with Canadians for its shared North American pop culture love.
Both Chan and Tucker are eager to reprise their roles. Tucker, a comedy icon in the U.S., has expressed enthusiasm, stating,
“You’re going to see a lot of good stuff coming, but it’s going to be on a whole other level… I love working with Jackie”
However, Tucker’s participation remains unconfirmed, with fans on X urging him to join Chan to avoid “leaving Jackie hanging”. Chan has been vocal since 2017, when he agreed to a script, and confirmed in 2022 at the Red Sea Film Festival that Rush Hour 4 was in development. Yet, progress remains slow.
The main hurdle is the controversy over Brett Ratner, the director of the original trilogy. Six women, including actresses Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn, accused Ratner of improper behavior in 2017, and Warner Bros. dropped him. The possibility of Ratner’s involvement has kept big studios such as Sony and Paramount away from financing the project, even with pitches from producer Arthur Sarkissian and Tarak Ben Ammar’s Eagle Pictures. Warner Bros., which retains the franchise through New Line Cinema, has made the project available elsewhere for a licensing fee. The script is still in development, with neither a director nor a timeline locked in.
On X, fans are buzzing with mixed emotions. Some express excitement, with one user planning to attend the “first day, first screening” if Chan and Tucker return. Others, however, question the need for a sequel, citing the 18-year gap since Rush Hour 3 and Ratner’s controversies. The franchise’s global cultural impact, blending Eastern and Western humor, keeps it relevant, particularly for U.K. and Australian audiences who cherish its international flair and for Canadians who share the U.S.’s love for Tucker’s comedic legacy.
Despite the challenges, the Rush Hour franchise’s enduring popularity and the stars’ commitment offer hope. Industry analysts point to the success of nostalgia-driven films like Bad Boys: Ride or Die in 2024 as evidence of potential profitability.
Chan is also keen on reviving Shanghai Noon with a third film, Shanghai Dawn, though it stalled after he backed out in 2018. With the right script and a new director, Rush Hour 4 could bring Chan and Tucker back for one more high-energy adventure, satisfying fans’ longing for nostalgia while navigating Hollywood’s complex landscape.
