*Courtesy of New Line Cinema, Columbia Pictures, Overture Films.*

Sources have confirmed that Paramount will release the upcoming ‘Rush Hour’ sequel from director Brett Ratner, handling distribution on behalf of Warner Bros. in exchange for a distribution fee reported to be in the double-digit percentage range.

The deal arrives at a particularly notable moment. Paramount—now owned by David Ellison—is one of the aggressive bidders pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery. This collaboration marks what is arguably the first partnership between the two studios since Ellison took control of the Melrose Avenue lot, and it follows the recent deadline for WBD acquisition bids, with Netflix and Comcast also in the running.

Several studios reportedly declined the opportunity to release the film, including Warner Bros.’ own New Line, the banner that originally built the Jackie Chan–Chris Tucker franchise. The ‘Rush Hour’ trilogy not only propelled Ratner’s directing career but also earned a combined $850 million worldwide, with installments released in 1998, 2001, and 2007. Chan and Tucker are said to be returning for the fourth film.

Ratner faced sexual assault allegations in 2017 from Melanie Kohler. He responded with a defamation lawsuit, and the two parties reached a settlement in late 2018. Ratner, once a key figure in Warner Bros.’ financing arm RatPac—which co-funded numerous studio projects—recently directed a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump for Amazon MGM Studios. The film is slated for theatrical release on January 30.

Reviving the ‘Rush Hour’ series is a significant move at a time when audiences are eager for the return of studio comedies. Sony’s recent success with the ‘Bad Boys’ franchise underscores that appetite: ‘Bad Boys for Life’ grossed $426.5 million worldwide in 2020, while 2024’s ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ collected $404.5 million globally, demonstrating that viewers were still willing to show up for Will Smith despite the aftermath of his Oscars altercation with Chris Rock.

This news all breaks after Donald Trump “personally pressed” Ellison to make another installment of the ‘Rush Hour’ franchise, as the President looks to “bring back the distinct action movies and comedies that took over the film scene from the late 1980s to the 1990s.”

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