Trump‘s Intervention revives ‘Rush Hour 4’ asโ Paramount Sale Looms
WASHINGTON – Former President Donaldโ Trump has reportedly expressed โขinterest in reviving the “Rush Hour” film franchise as part of a potential acquisition of Paramount Global, โขinjecting a new dynamic into theโ ongoing bidding war for the media conglomerate. The development โขcomes as paramount navigates first-round bids from Comcast, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery, with a sale process expected to conclude by mid- to late-December.
Theโ renewed interest in “Rushโ Hour 4,” a project long stalled despite efforts from โJackie Chan and Chris Tucker, is tied to โฃtrump’s belief in the franchise’s โฃenduring appeal and potential profitability, sources โคfamiliar with theโ matter say. This โฃunexpected involvement adds another layer ofโฃ complexity to the sale, which centers around Paramount’s valuable assets including its studio, cableโค networks, and streaming service.โ
Paramount is currently bidding for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery, with a โprevious proposal valued at approximately โ$23.50 per share. This would consolidate the studio, HBO Max, and โcable networks under one owner. Comcast is focused on โacquiring โthe studioโค and โstreamingโ assetsโ – Warner Bros.and HBO Max – integrating them into NBCUniversal and allowingโ Warner Bros.discoveryโ toโ spin off CNN โand โคTNT sports โขprior to deal closure. Netflix is also pursuing the film โand streaming components โof Warner Bros. Discovery.
The potentialโข for Trump’s influence stemsโ from hisโข broader interest in media ownership and his โestablished relationships within the entertainment industry. While the former president’s role remains unofficial, his expressed enthusiasm โคfor “Rush Hour 4” โhas reportedly gained traction within Paramount’s internal discussions.