Trump pushes Larry Ellison to revive ‘Rush Hour’ sequence as president smiles on Paramount bid for WBD

Do you understand the words coming out of his mouth?

President Trump is reportedly pushing his billionaire ally Larry Ellison to revive the “Rush Hour” franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker — assuming the Ellison household succeeds in the bidding war for the movie series’ license holder Warner Bros. Discovery.

The president has personally pressed Ellison to deliver back his favourite buddy-cop flick, together with other boisterous comedies and action films of the Nineteen Eighties and ’90s, a person familiar with the talks told Semafor.

The Nineteen Nineties buddy-cop comedy “Rush Hour” stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.

The transfer comes as Trump has smiled on Paramount Skydance’s bid to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery in a megadeal, as The Post first reported. Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle, has a big stake in Paramount and his son David Ellison is its CEO.

“Rush Hour” one by means of three mixes bodily comedy with martial arts expertise and consists of a quantity of jokes about racial stereotypes. 

The franchise’s director Brett Ratner – who also helmed hits like “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “The Revenant” – was shunned from Hollywood after six women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2017.

But he has since clawed his method back into the movie industry, spending months earlier this 12 months shadowing First Lady Melania Trump for a $40 million Amazon documentary about her life.

“Rush Hour” producer Arthur Sarkissian now runs the manufacturing company behind “The Man You Don’t Know,” a glowing documentary about Trump that includes interviews with some of his youngsters and his granddaughter, Kai Trump. 

The film premiered at Mar-a-Lago, Fla., during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

The president has personally pressed Larry Ellison to revive the franchise, according to a report. Nathan Howard – Pool by way of CNP/Shutterstock

The White House and Paramount didn’t instantly reply to The Post’s requests for remark.

Trump’s “Rush Hour” campaign is just his latest try and revive Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties popular culture, Semafor famous.

The president – a fan of sports-action movies like 1988’s “Bloodsport,” which starred Jean Claude Van Damme – has invited macho stars like actor Sylvester Stallone and boxer Mike Tyson to the White House.

He is even planning to host a UFC fight on the White House garden, with Paramount as the broadcaster, according to Variety.

Dallas Sonnier, a movie producer, told Semafor that Trump may usher in “a wave of classically male-driven movies with mentally tough, traditional, courageous, confident heroes. Maybe even a tad cocky, but dedicated to honor and duty.” 

“Plus, of course, a few explosions, gun battles, helicopters, fistfights and car chases!”

Larry Ellison, whose son owns Paramount, seems on observe to take over Warner Bros. Discovery.

The first installment of “Rush Hour,” launched in 1998, was a smash hit. But enthusiasm appeared to burn out by the third, dismally-reviewed installment in 2007, Semafor famous.

In 2017, Warner Bros. Discovery cut ties with Ratner after accusations of sexual misconduct against him got here to light. 

The company allowed the franchise to be licensed to other studios, however none to date have opted to take action.

One issue that may endear “Rush Hour” to the commander-in-chief is that, not like many Trump-hating Hollywood stars, neither Chan nor Tucker have spoken out against Trump, according to Semafor.

While the 1998 “Rush Hour” movie was a smash hit, enthusiasm appeared to burn out by the third installment. New Line Cinema

After Trump’s first election win in 2016, Chan urged Americans to “give him a likelihood to attempt to change America and alter the world. He’s a businessman … I believe he is aware of how to deal with these sorts of issues. 

During an interview with Piers Morgan in 2018, Tucker stayed largely mute on the subject, though he said he “hopes [Trump] does good.”

“I want him to be successful, I want him to do the right thing,” the actor said.

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