‘Melania’ Director Brett Ratner has joined Donald Trump‘s China delegation to scout locations for Rush Hour 4. Ratner’s inclusion in a delegation that focuses on trade talks raises pertinent questions about the equation between politics and entertainment in the current presidency.
Director Brett Ratner joins Donald Trump in China for Rush Hour 4 location search
Ratner, the director of the original Rush Hour starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, affirms that he will be using this trip to scout locations for the fourth edition of the popular action flick franchise. Rush Hour was released to global popularity in 1998 and gained fame with buddy-cop adventure lovers instantly.
This also happens to be Ratner’s first studio-related public initiative after sexual misconduct allegations were leveled against him amid the #MeToo storm in 2017, all of which he has denied.
Rush Hour 4 marks the director’s comeback of sorts after he directed the documentary ‘Melania’ on the first lady, Melania Trump. The film documents the period leading up to Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Reportedly, this film helped Ratner to access Trump’s inner circle and also helped him plan the revival of his career with Rush Hour 4.
The director has clarified, “If anything, this was a bigger risk because of the polarisation and subject matter. I didn’t do this to get me back into Hollywood. That wasn’t my strategy. I’ve been waiting to make Rush Hour 4 — that was my strategy.” He told The Hollywood Reporter that much of the film will be shot in China next year, and he is in talks with actors, crew members, and film distributors in China.
The move to include a mainstream Hollywood director in a delegation that includes personalities like Elon Musk, apart from elite financiers, has made this trip a major cultural crossover moment rather than an avenue for diplomatic talks.
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