Hollywood, geopolitics, billionaires, and Jackie Chan are all suddenly colliding in one of the strangest side stories attached to President Trump’s upcoming summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Film director Brett Ratner is reportedly joining the U.S. delegation traveling to China this week, where he plans to scout locations for the long-awaited “Rush Hour 4” while also participating in meetings tied to the closely watched diplomatic visit.
Yes, really.
Ratner’s spokesperson confirmed to The New York Post that the director will use the trip to begin preparations for filming the next installment of the blockbuster buddy-cop franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Cameras are expected to begin rolling next year, marking the first time Ratner has ever filmed inside China despite the franchise’s deep connection to Hong Kong and international police themes.
The trip also highlights just how unusual Trump’s second presidency continues to be, where entertainment, business, and global diplomacy regularly blur together in ways that would have seemed bizarre only a few years ago.
Trump himself has reportedly been enthusiastic about reviving the “Rush Hour” series and encouraged billionaire ally Larry Ellison to help bring the franchise back after Paramount secured rights through its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this year. Ellison’s son David now serves as CEO of Paramount, giving the family major influence over the project’s future.
The broader delegation heading to China reportedly includes some of the most powerful names in business and technology, including Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk and outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook. Officially, the summit is expected to focus on trade tensions, artificial intelligence, military competition, and economic relations between Washington and Beijing. Unofficially, it appears Hollywood business is hitching a ride too.
For Ratner personally, the trip represents another major step in his comeback attempt after effectively disappearing from Hollywood following multiple sexual misconduct allegations in 2017. Several women accused Ratner of harassment and inappropriate behavior during the height of the #MeToo movement, allegations he denied. Nevertheless, his directing career largely collapsed overnight as studios and actors distanced themselves from him.
His return began quietly earlier this year through an unlikely avenue: Melania Trump. Ratner directed and co-produced the first lady’s documentary chronicling her preparations for returning to the White House ahead of Trump’s 2025 inauguration. Amazon reportedly paid $75 million for the project, which went on to produce one of the strongest documentary openings in a decade, pulling in roughly $7 million during its opening weekend before moving to Amazon Prime streaming.
Now Ratner appears positioned for a much larger return with “Rush Hour 4.”
