Chris Tucker States the Obvious: He’s Definitely in for ‘Rush Hour 4’
Here’s a shocker sure to stun the entertainment world — an actor wants to return to a film series that has already earned him more money than the 2023 Oakland Athletics’ entire payroll.
Rush Hour star Chris Tucker is on the press tour for the film Air, Ben Affleck’s attempt at turning the story of Michael Jordan’s shoe line into this generation’s Jerry Maguire. Air is Tucker’s first film project in over a decade, having taken an extended hiatus from entertainment since his appearance in the 2012 Oscar-winning romantic dramedy Silver Linings Playbook. Ever since the first Rush Hour propelled Tucker into superstardom, he has been one of Hollywood’s most coy comedic powerhouses when it comes to the parts he accepts — it even took a $40 million signing deal and a reported 20 percent of the gross box office revenue to convince him to reprise the role of the fast-talking, street-smart Detective James Carter in the second and third Rush Hour installments.
Tucker’s retreat from entertainment superstardom has been attributed to many motives — namely, the deeply religious actor’s principled stance against the profanity of his roles in both Rush Hour and the Ice Cube comedy classic Friday, as well as a protracted legal battle with the IRS over unpaid taxes. But Tucker’s recent declaration to Audacity’s V-103 that he is “definitely” in on Rush Hour 4 shows that money — and Jackie Chan — talks.
Tucker confirmed to his hosts on the podcast that his return to film with Air will be followed up with a fourth Rush Hour film, saying, “You’re going to see a lot of good stuff coming, but it’s going to be on a whole other level.” Tucker teased a slate of projects in his near future, with Rush Hour 4 being the most notable. “It’s not going to be what you’ve normally seen,” Tucker said of his next round of films. “Rush Hour 4, that’s something I definitely will probably drop in there because I love working with Jackie,” he added to appease the action comedy fans, then saying, “But I’ve got some new stuff that I think you’re really gonna like. I’m excited about it.”
Rush Hour 4 has been the topic of gossip and speculation since Chan revealed at the Red Sea International Film Festival this past December that the sequel is in development. Seeing as buddy comedies don’t typically succeed without two or more buddies, it was only a matter of time before Tucker announced his own involvement with the project.
With Chan and Tucker both returning and a production budget that presumably has room for Tucker’s legendarily large rate, fans have everything they need to be excited for Rush Hour 4. We only have one question for them — you want any fives with that?
