It’s been nearly three years since the announcement that a fourth Rush Hour movie was in the works. The news elicited much excitement from fans who have deemed another entry into the action franchise long overdue. However, in the years since, fans have been given little or nothing to cheer about as a radio silence from the studios succeeded the announcement. The project’s status has remained unknown, with the lack of updates giving rise to suspicions that perhaps the movie had been quietly shelved. However, there might be light at the end of the tunnel as franchise star Jackie Chan has shared a subtle tease, suggesting that development on Rush Hour 4 might still be alive.

Chan recently attended the premiere of his upcoming martial arts movie, Karate Kids: Legends, set to hit theaters this weekend. On the red carpet, he chatted briefly with ScreenRant and, while discussing future projects, he touched on the long-awaited Rush Hour 4. When asked about the sequel’s status, Chan admitted he’s just in the dark as the fans. “I don’t know. Ask the director, ask the studio, ask the writer,” he said. However, he did share his excitement about the project and emphatically declared his interest in reprising his role as Detective Lee. Injecting some humor, he added:

“Hurry up! Otherwise, Chris Tucker and me [will be] 100 years old. We’ll be old men doing Rush Hour. Yes! (I want to do it) And I want to do [another] Shanghai Knights, Shanghai Dawn. Shangai Noon, Shanghai Knights, and Shanghai Dawn. The script is still going on. I want to do a Rush Hour 4.”

What Do We Know About ‘Rush Hour 4’?

There hasn’t been much in the way of updates, but the last time Chan spoke about Rush Hour 4 was in 2023 at the Red Sea Film Festival. At the time, he confirmed the film was in development and shared that he was scheduled to meet with the director to discuss the script. However, he didn’t name who was attached to direct. It’s unlikely he was referring to Brett Ratner, who directed the original trilogy but has been effectively ousted from Hollywood due to multiple sexual harassment allegations. Ratner hasn’t directed a film since 2014’s Hercules and has been inactive in the industry since 2018, making his return to a major studio project highly improbable.

The most likely reason for the delay is the challenge of finding the right director to replace Ratner. Chan has previously stated he’d only return if the script was strong, and the creative team may still be working to develop a story that meets that standard. Chris Tucker has also expressed interest in reprising his role, so with both stars on board, the missing piece seems to be a team with the right vision to revive the beloved franchise. Hopefully, that happens soon, before Chan and Tucker become centenarians.

via Collider