July, Lionsgate executives gathered for a routine greenlight assembly. On the agenda, nevertheless, was not a typical undertaking. The studio was taking a look at Rush Hour 4, the long-talked-about subsequent installment within the motion comedy franchise. In numerous instances, it would look like a sexy thought for Lionsgate — which has an curiosity in constructing franchises to enhance its John Wick collection — or any studio seeking to capitalize on viewers nostalgia with well-known IP.
However doing the film would imply probably working with franchise filmmaker Brett Ratner, who, based on a supply, was part of the pitch because the undertaking’s potential director and producer, regardless of having not labored in Hollywood for the previous seven years, since he confronted a number of allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment in 2017.
On the time, Ratner strongly denied all allegations of sexual misconduct, and no expenses had been introduced towards him. He was dropped by his company and has but to make a movie since. When emailed concerning the undertaking and his potential of directing Rush Hour 4, Ratner replied that the question was full of “gross inaccuracies” and wouldn’t present additional remark.
A number of sources inform The Hollywood Reporter that Warner Bros., the longtime distributor of the Rush Hour movies that had been homegrown by Warners’ New Line Cinema division, years in the past allowed Rush Hour 4 to be licensed elsewhere. It’s a stunning transfer given the movies had been profitable for the studio. Tarak Ben Ammar, the veteran exec whose latest credit embody Equalizer 3, has retained the rights to make Rush Hour 4 underneath his Eagle Footage banner. Ben Ammar is behind considered one of Italy’s largest manufacturing and distribution outfits and, at one time, was one of many acquirers of the Weinstein Co. library. He has been liaising with potential companions on Rush Hour 4.
Ratner has pushed to direct a fourth Rush Hour movie for years. However his involvement has been a nonstarter for a number of studios, together with Paramount and Sony, which had heard concerning the bundle. (A consultant for Ben Ammar denied Ratner’s attachment on Rush Hour 4.)
The 2 stars of the franchise, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, have been floated as a possible a part of the undertaking, however a supply near the actors notes their attachment will not be official. Previously couple of years, each Chan and Tucker have talked about their need to return for the following Rush Hour installment.
Ratner had a profitable profession as a music video and studio filmmaker within the ’90s and 2000s, earlier than his huge break with the primary Rush Hour movie in 1998. He directed the following two films, with a collective franchise gross of greater than $500 million on the home field workplace alone.
In 2017, six girls accused Ratner of sexual misconduct as a part of a Los Angeles Occasions report. The story included allegations of compelled oral intercourse by actress Natasha Henstridge, whereas Olivia Munn claimed that the director masturbated in entrance of her after she was tasked with delivering meals to his trailer on set when she was an aspiring actress.
To get made, Rush Hour 4 would want home and worldwide distribution companions. Whereas a possible home distributor wouldn’t personal the library rights to the opposite Rush Hour movies, any purchaser would get a ready-made franchise installment whereas Warners would get a licensing payment.
A possible new Rush Hour movie is indicative of bigger traits in Hollywood filmmaking, the place one studio’s IP is one other’s potentials franchise, and nostalgia is marketable. Just lately, a sequel to Warners title The Accountant, the Ben Affleck-led motion thriller, landed at Amazon MGM a number of years after Warners introduced it was growing a follow-up to the movie. Artists Fairness, Affleck and Matt Damon’s new manufacturing outfit, was capable of license the sequel rights from Warners for one film, with the studio touchdown an undisclosed payment.
As for the field workplace, new tentpole fare has fallen flat this yr. Lionsgate’s videogame film Borderlands bombed, incomes $13 million in home ticket gross sales, whereas Common’s motion comedy The Fall Man has been seen as a disappointment even with $92 million in North American gross sales.
Whereas the newest installment of Dangerous Boys franchise, which like Rush Hour gained reputation within the 90s and early aughts, was one of many sole vivid spots within the early summer time field workplace. Dangerous Boys 4 has earned practically $400 million on the international field workplace, with $200 million coming from home ticket gross sales.
In a present Hollywood panorama the place field workplace receipts have been spotty at greatest, an IP-backed function with the chance partially underwritten like Rush Hour 4 is a tempting supply.
As of press time, it’s unclear whether or not Lionsgate will likely be boarding the following installment.
This story appeared within the Aug. 21 challenge of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.