New Line's rushing to start "Rush Hour 3," officially greenlighting the sequel with the aim of launching production in late summer and releasing it next summer.
The mini-majormini-majormini-major's announcement Wednesday capped a lengthy and complicated effort to lock down the third version dating back to 2001, when "Rush Hour 2""Rush Hour 2" grossed close to $350 million worldwide. The 1998 original took in more than $240 million.
New Line signed Chris TuckerChris Tucker, Jackie ChanJackie Chan, director Brett RatnerBrett Ratner ("X-Men: The Last Stand") and screenwriter Jeff NathansonJeff Nathanson last fall (Daily Variety, Nov. 21) to reunite for the sequel. It had the option to greenlightgreenlightgreenlight the pic by this week, triggering pay-or-play deals for the helmer and two stars.
Tucker will earn $20 million against 20% of gross along with a second-picture commitment for the same salary on a film to be determined later. Chan will get around $15 million against 15% of gross and own distribution rights in China and Hong Kong.
"Rush Hour 3" will be set in Paris, where Tucker and Chan's characters will battle a wing of the Chinese organized crime family, the Triads.
Budget's expected to be in the low nine-figure range. The trickiest part of putting together "Rush Hour 3" involved securing the services of Tucker, who's limited his film appearances to two pics over the past eight years -- "Rush Hour""Rush Hour" and "Rush Hour 2."
Arthur Sarkissian will produce with Roger BirnbaumRoger Birnbaum, Jonathan GlickmanJonathan Glickman and Jay SternJay Stern, Ratner's Rat EntertainmentRat Entertainment partner.
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