Rush Hour 4

[GeneChing]

I wish someone would offer me an irresistible amount of money. I'd take it, make the movie and not complain.

Jackie Chan No Fan of 'Rush Hour' Series
Sunday September 30 9:02 AM ET

"Rush Hour" put Jackie Chan in Hollywood's major leagues, but the Hong Kong star isn't a fan of his successful action comedy franchise.

Chan said when he made the first installment of the "Rush Hour" series in 1998 he only wanted to test the U.S. market and didn't have high hopes.

"When we finished filming, I felt very disappointed because it was a movie I didn't appreciate and I did not like the action scenes involved. I felt the style of action was too Americanized and I didn't understand the American humor," Chan said in a blog entry on his Web site seen Sunday.

The actor said he made the sequel because he was offered an "irresistible" amount of money to do it and made the recently released third installment to satisfy fans of the series.

Chan said "Rush Hour 3" was no different from the first two installments for him.

"Nothing particularly exciting stood out that made this movie special for me ... I spent four months making this film and I still don't fully understand the humor," he said, adding the comedic scenes may be lost on Asian audiences.

Chan's comments came even though the "Rush Hour" series, which revolves around the racial humor stemming from the pairing of a Chinese (Chan) and a black (Chris Tucker) police officer, helped the action star cross over to mainstream American audiences.

"Rush Hour" was Chan's first movie to break $100 million at the U.S. box office, earning $141 million, according to the box office tracking Web site, Box Office Mojo. "Rush Hour 2" made $226 million and "Rush Hour 3" has earned $137 million so far.

Chan has been known to be blase about his Hollywood work. He said in a 2005 interview with The Associated Press that he uses the high salary he earns in the U.S. to fund Chinese-language projects that truly interest him.

He also showed little enthusiasm for his latest Hollywood project, "The Forbidden Kingdom," which marks his first on-screen collaboration with fellow action star Jet Li.

[GeneChing]

I almost put this in the Forbidden Kingdom thread...

Jackie Chan in talks with 'Rush Hour' director Brett Ratner to set up movie company
The Associated Press
Published: November 20, 2007

HONG KONG: Jackie Chan says he's in talks with Brett Ratner, the director of the "Rush Hour" series, to set up a movie company that specializes in Hollywood productions shot on location in China.

Chan revealed the possible venture in a blog entry on his official Web site Tuesday.

"The whole idea of this company is for China and America to cooperate so I can make American films in China and Brett can act as my consultant, giving me advice, and deciding whether or not the film would be suitable for the American market," he wrote, adding that Ratner may also scout for new directors.

Chan said the quickest way to set up the new company, which he said would be called "Chan Ratner Company," was for the two filmmakers to shoot another movie together.

Solon So, senior vice president of Chan's company, JC Group, said the two partners haven't agreed on any specific projects.

Ratner didn't immediately reply to a reporter's e-mail seeking comment.

Chan recently finished shooting the Hollywood movie "The Forbidden Kingdom" in China, which marks his first on-screen collaboration with fellow action star Jet Li.

Chan called Ratner a "very smart director" and "very quick learner."

He said earlier Ratner had matured as a director between the second and third "Rush Hour" installment.

While filming the third installment, "he knows which camera angles he wants to use and he has complete control of the set," Chan said in his blog at the time.

The "Rush Hour" series, which stars Chan and Chris Tucker, is a career milestone for both Chan and Ratner.

The first installment, released in 1998, was the first movie to break US$100 million (€68.2 million) at the U.S. box office for both filmmakers, according to figures compiled by the box office tracking Web site Box Office Mojo.

The trilogy has made a combined US$507 million (€346 million) so far, according to Box Office Mojo's figures.

Since the success of "Rush Hour," Ratner went on to direct "Red Dragon" and "X-Men: The Last Stand."

[doug maverick]

he'll be able to corner the market on hollywood movies being shot in china, cause you know he's gonna make sure every production company who wants to shoot is gonna go through him(**** thats kinda gangster) ::kew i get money by: 50 cent::

[GeneChing]

Personally, I'd rather see Jackie stay paired with Jet, and Chris Tucker pairing off with Owen Wilson...

EXCLUSIVE: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker To Reunite For Non-’Rush Hour’ Movie
Published by Larry Carroll on Monday, April 14, 2008 at 2:57 pm.

The good news is that Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan shook hands recently on a deal that will reunite them for another movie. The better news is that it won’t be a “Rush Hour” film.

“Nowadays, you need a middleman to push things; in the old days, we didn’t need a push from a middleman,” Chan told me over the weekend, comparing the difficulties in getting together with a star like Jet Li (whom he’ll do battle with in “The Forbidden Kingdom” on April 18) and synching schedules with Tucker.

“It’s like two days ago when Chris Tucker called me,” the martial arts legend said Saturday. “We sat down and decided we want to do another movie. Not a ‘Rush Hour’ — something new.”

That would seem to be good news for fans who’ve been so attracted to the Chan/ Tucker action-comedy series that they’ve powered it to nearly $1 billion worldwide, but who also largely considered last summer’s “Rush Hour 3” to be an indication that the franchise has run out of gas.

“I said yes, and after I shook [Tucker’s] hand, I said: ‘Look, we need a middleman. I don’t want to shake hands, then I go back to Hong Kong and you stay here, I get busy and you get busy,’ ” he recalled. “You have to have somebody in the middle to follow up, otherwise it will never happen.

“We’ve just agreed to do it,” he added. “Now we’re looking for the writer.”

Pressed for more information, Chan said the film didn’t have a title, and he didn’t reveal whether “Rush Hour” series director Brett Ratner would return. Previously, Ratner would have served as such a “middleman” between the two stars — though maybe not as effectively as Chan would’ve liked. “We finished ‘Rush Hour 1,’ and it was six years later that we made ‘Rush Hour 2,’ ” he said, “and then six years later we made ‘Rush Hour 3.’ It’s too long!”

[GeneChing]

I clipped the posts above off the RH3 thread.

Cannes: Jackie Chan Nixes Rush Hour 4
But might do it in a decade
20 May 2012 | Written by Nick de Semlyen

At a Cannes press conference to hype up his latest movie — globe-spanning treasure-hunting caper Chinese Zodiac — Jackie Chan announced that he’s done with bone-crunching action for good, but added, “In the future I’ll still do Karate Kid 2, Rush Hour 4…”

This statement, combined with the fact that Rush Hour director Brett Ratner flew into France to help his buddy promote Chinese Zodiac, got us wondering whether the fourquel is actually already underway. But when Empire sat down with Chan after the press conference, he made it clear that he won’t be re-uniting with Chris Tucker any time soon.

“No, no, no! I don’t want it to happen at this moment,” he announced, shaking his head furiously. “Probably another five or ten years. Then will be Rush Hour 4 – boom, we’re coming back! And at that time I might retire. Us being old guys might make it a more interesting story. But at this moment I don’t think it’s something I want to do.”

So there you go. Those keen for more culture-clash carnage may have to wait until 2022, by which time it could be less Rush Hour, more Trudge Hour…

[sanjuro_ronin]

Karate kid? rush hour?

[GeneChing]

...but they could probably make bank with it. I guess it wouldn't be dead then.

Exclusive: Rush Hour 4 is Happening!
Producer Arthur Sarkissian says Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are involved, teases plot ideas and a part reserved for Octavia Spencer.
By Fred Topel
July 29, 2012

We ran into movie producer Arthur Sarkissian at the Television Critics Association press tour. He produced his first TV series, “Vegas,” on CBS. We spoke about the upcoming fall drama, then moved to his potential movie projects. When we fished for his interest in doing another Rush Hour, Sarkissian revealed there’s serious development on a fourth film in the buddy cop franchise.

“I am working on Rush Hour 4 right now with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan,” Sarkissian said. “I’m trying to do it closer to how I did Rush Hour 1, more down to earth, more gritty, introduce two new characters and make it real the way the first one was. I personally was not happy with the third one. I thought 1 and 2 were very good. I think 3 got out of hand a little bit. It’s not a matter of just bringing them back to do another segment of that or a sequel to it by putting them in another city and having them bicker. I don’t want that. I want something new.”

Two new characters, like younger cops to whom Chris and Jackie could hand the franchise off? Not necessarily, Sarkissian said.

“Maybe younger, maybe Chris is now married, maybe Jackie is married to Octavia Spencer, I don’t know. Married to Chris’s cousin, they live in Shanghai, Chris goes out to visit them. I don’t know, I want something energetic.”

Now, I thought I was forgetting a “before they were stars” cameo by Spencer in a previous Rush Hour. Turns out Sarkissian is just pulling that out of his head, and he totally thinks he could get her after her Oscar win. “Absolutely. Why not? If it’s good, script is good you’ll get anybody.”

Sarkissian confirmed Tucker and Chan are interested in returning. He has not settled on a screenwriter yet. “Right now we haven’t decided yet but I’m very close to making a decision. I have about four or five names that we’re roaming on right now.”

Brett Ratner directed the three Rush Hour films. Hinting at his dissatisfaction with Rush Hour 3, Sarkissian was cautious about suggesting Ratner’s involvement. “If he wants to do it he’s more than welcome to do it but he’s got to do it in the right way.”

Chan recently announced that Chinese Zodiac would be his last intense Hong Kong action film, though he will continue to make movies like The Karate Kid with an action component. Sarkissian is sensitive to Chan’s needs, and he doesn’t want to overdo the action anyway.

“He’s getting a little older. I think he can fit it. What was great about Rush Hour 1 and 2 mostly was the relationship of these two and it came out of nowhere. It was just very real. We didn’t build it, we didn’t write it. It just happened. I think the action will be there but it has to be molded to fit him today and not forced into stuff that he won’t do.”

Since Rush Hour is based on the relationship between agents Lee (Chan) and Carter (Tucker), they could presumably have infinite adventures. There’s no closed-ended canon. However, Sarkissian looked to an interesting franchise for inspiration on keeping Rush Hour fresh.

“One of the things that surprised me and actually excited me was how they did Fast Five. They kept the characters, they took them and they put them in a whole different world. They put them in the world of a heist movie and it worked. I think that was brilliant what they did because if you’re not careful, what happens is you just keep repeating yourself. There’s not much you can do. You’ve got to be very careful but that’s where creativity and energy and good thought and a little bit of hard work comes to try and give them something that’s in that world but a little different.”

Of course, you don’t want it to be too different, because then it’s not Rush Hour anymore. “Absolutely not, because you will have the characters, it will be the two of them. They’ve got to be in a world where it’s not just fighting with one another.”

CraveOnline will be back with more on Rush Hour 4 after we sing it again, you all.

[GeneChing]

...when an interviewer asks you about some old movie you did while you're trying to promote your new one. I've done that as an interviewer too...

11/14/12 at 4:00 PM
Chris Tucker on His First Non-Rush Hour Movie in Fifteen Years, Silver Linings Playbook
By Jennifer Vineyard

Take Chris Tucker off your Missing Persons list: The comedian is finally back on the big screen, after fifteen years of making nothing but Rush Hour films, with Silver Linings Playbook. He stars alongside Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence — who play a bipolar dude and depressed widow, respectively — as Danny, also a crazy person who goes in and out of a mental institution. (He also takes part in the movie's very fun dance scenes.) A cynic might say Tucker's return is out of financial necessity, and that might be true, but the comedian attributes his absence to a lack of good roles. He chatted with Vulture about why this movie ended that streak, a return to the Rush Hour franchise, and teaching Jackie Chan to moonwalk.

Why haven't you done a non-Rush Hour film in the last fifteen years?

It's not that often you get a good role with a great director, and that's the main reason I did this, because I knew David O. Russell was a great director, a smart director, and I thought it would be fun to learn from him. Three Kings and The Fighter had great music in them, too, and I thought they were directed so well. But it's mainly about the script. I've been looking for a good script with something different — I didn't want to do the same thing — and nothing really grabbed me until this.

What did you do with all the piles of scripts you got that you didn't like? For example, Vera Farmiga burns hers.

What?! [Laughs] That's a great idea. I'm going to start doing that. I've got a big closet of scripts, and a big stack of scripts on the side of my desk, because you get a whole bunch. Nothing's going to be perfect, and I realize that; but I am a perfectionist, so you go through a lot of stuff. I can't even remember all the ones I was offered, but it was a lot of action, and it just didn't connect with me, and it wasn't what I wanted to do at the time. It didn't move me. This was fresh and different and allowed me to show a different side from the Rush Hour comedies. I mean, this isn't a big role, but it's an important role, and it was on the next level. The subject matter is great, dealing with a character who is bipolar, and my character being in a mental institution. Most of the other scripts I got just required one note from me, versus all the depth to this character. You wonder, Why is he in there? Did he drink too much, or ... ? And then he says that he mixed drugs together and went off. And then there was the bonus that I didn't have to work every day — no pressure! I got to go in there and dance and get out.

The scene where you come in and give Bradley Cooper some pointers on his dance routine is so fun. You could set up shop as a dance instructor!

That was a lot of fun! I think that was my first day, or one of my first days shooting. It was free, and it was a lot of improvisation. "Black it up," that was David O. Russell. "Black it up, dude!" [Dances in his chair to demonstrate] A lot of people like that line. I could give some [lessons]. I got a few good moves. I've actually tried to give Brett Ratner dance lessons, but he thinks he already knows how to. He gets out there and does his thing, [imitates a dance move] and he thinks he's got it.

Does he?

Not really. [Chuckles] I could teach him to look like Bradley Cooper. It would be fun to try to teach Jackie Chan some dance moves. I would teach him to do some Michael stuff, and some hip-hop/rap stuff, because that would make me laugh, because he would do it in a minute. I could teach Jackie Chan to moonwalk. That would be funny.

There's talk of a Rush Hour 4, and a Friday 4. Are you aboard for either?
Rush Hour 4, we're looking into it, me and Jackie [Chan]. We're trying to get it going, so we're developing something, so hopefully we'll get something in.

Rush Hour producer Andrew Sarkissian thought a twist could be for Jackie to marry your character's cousin, and he suggested the cousin could be played by Octavia Spencer.

Yeah! I heard that. I don't know what he's talking about. [Laughs] We really want to take it back to the first one, the realness of it, and explore my character a bit more. Everyone wants to do sequels, though. The rumor got out there that I'm doing Friday 4, but the Internet — they lying! It's kind of crazy. My fans are so hyped up about it and I didn't want to let them down, so at one point I said, "We'll see," but I'm pretty sure now I won't do another one. I'm still fascinated that they love that movie the way they do, and if they do another one, I think it would be good, but I want to do some different stuff. Keep moving.

When you were down in Atlanta to shoot your upcoming stand-up comedy movie, did Jennifer Lawrence invite you on set for Catching Fire? Are you a Hunger Games fan? Team Peeta or Team Gale?

Team Gale! I'm pretty sure she should be with the guy she went hunting with. I can't wait to see the next one. She didn't know I was in Atlanta at the same time, but I would love to go on set with my son. He learned archery because of Hunger Games. He went and got a crossbow. I didn't let him — he just went and got one on his own! Don't worry, he's real careful with it. He won't shoot anyone with it.

[daiyoshida]

I don't think I've seen a good "martial arts" film in years. I don't know which I loathe more the silly American films or the overly-politicized Chinese ones.

How is it that Luc Besson knows how to make better "Martial arts" films than the Chinese? There is something very wrong when Liam Neeson's fight scenes are more interesting than Jet Li's latest snoozers.

[doug maverick]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q9LBKoRoGw

[mawali]

CSI - Qing dynasty. Origins!

Seems to be a good copy!