DONALD Trump is using the benefits of being president to try and get a sequel to one of his favourite movies, a report claims.
Trump – a Hollywood actor in his own right – is a lover of action and comedy films from the 1980s and 1990s and is now leaning on a billionaire to get another hit.
Trump is a lover of action and comedy films from the 1980s and 1990sCredit: Getty
The Rush Hour franchise has been dormant for some timeCredit: Handout
According to Semafor , the president is pushing Larry Ellison to revive the buddy-cop Rush Hour franchise – starring Jackie Chan and .
The buddy comedy sees a Black detective and Chinese inspector overcome their cultural differences to stop a deadly crime ring.
Billionaire Ellison – who is said to be a strong backer of Trump – is set to take over Paramount and will soon own the movie studio which made the three-film franchise.
Trump himself has signalled support for Paramount Skydance’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
If any purchase was successful, Ellison and White House officials have already reportedly discussed which personalities could be removed from the franchise’s orbit.
The Rush Hour films, launched in 1998, blended physical comedy, martial-arts action, and jokes about racial stereotypes.
After a poorly reviewed third installment in 2007, enthusiasm fizzled,
The franchise has remained dormant ever since.
Many studios have avoided reviving it in part because director Brett Ratner has been largely sidelined since.
However, Ratner spent months earlier this year shadowing First Lady Melania Trump for an Amazon documentary about her life.
Producer Arthur Sarkissian, who helped shepherd the original “Rush Hour” series, now runs the company behind “The Man You Don’t Know”.
This entirely positive documentary about Trump premiered at Mar-a-Lago and features interviews with members of the President’s family.
For Trump, a Rush Hour revival fits into a broader effort to resurrect the bold, masculine pop culture of the 1980s and 1990s.
He has long professed admiration for Jean-Claude Van Damme’s 1988 cult classic Bloodsport.
What’s more, he has previously invited action icons – including Sylvester Stallone and Mike Tyson – to the White House.
He is even planning to host a UFC event on the White House lawn, with Paramount as the broadcaster.
Film producer Dallas Sonnier said that Trump could 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!”
One appealing factor for the President is that neither of the franchise’s stars has publicly criticised him.
After Trump’s 2016 election win, Jackie Chan urged Americans to “give him a chance to try to change America and change the world”.
He added: “He’s a businessman. I think he knows how to handle these types of things.”
In a 2018 interview with Piers Morgan, Chris Tucker declined to take a stance, saying only, “I want him to be successful, I want him to do the right thing.”
Neither of the title characters have spoken out against Trump’s presidencyCredit: Entertainment – New Line Cinema
In 2016, Jackie Chan urged people to give Trump a chanceCredit: AFP
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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