Despite expressing a desire to distance himself from the Rush Hour franchise, Jackie Chan appears ready, willing and able for another go around. Following three films and more than $800 million at the worldwide box office, it looks like fans will indeed see Rush Hour 4 in the near future.
While talking to radio station Power 106 Los Angeles to promote his new film The Foreigner, Chan said:
“A few years ago, Karate Kid. There was supposed to be a Karate Kid 2 but the script isn’t right. Several years later they want to do it and I say, ‘You still want to do Karate Kid? No, Karate Men. They’re taller than me now! Rush Hour you can do any time… Next year! For the last seven years, we’ve been turning down the script, turning down the script. Yesterday, we just agreed… the script, probably end of this month. They’re on the second draft. Next year, probably start. I hope. If Chris Tucker agrees. It’s not about money. It’s about time to make, otherwise… Rush Hour 4, we’re all like old men! Before we get old. I tell Chris Tucker, before we get old, please, do Rush Hour 4!”
Later, he answered a fan question about the potential sequel by saying, “Good news. Next year, Rush Hour 4, and I hope the script done. And day after tomorrow we meet the director and Chris Tucker again to make sure we go the right track.” You can check out Chan’s full interview in the video below.
While Rush Hour may be Chan’s most famous movie to American audiences, he recently acknowledged that he was getting older (he’s 63-years-old) and that he doesn’t want to continue doing the same types of films. Speaking to GQ, the action star said: “I know I’m not young anymore. I cannot continue to make Rush Hour 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. How can I continue [to] do this kind of funny face.”
The first three Rush Hour movies were directed by Brett Ratner, who is developing a Hugh Hefner biopic with Jared Leto attached to star, and distributed by New Line Cinema (under the Warner Bros. umbrella). Though Chan has been quiet domestically since 2010’s The Karate Kid, he has released a series of successful films in his native China in recent years.
