There was some brief chatter a few years ago about a fourth outing for the Rush Hour franchise. That has vanished into the ether, but the idea will be back on screens, albeit TV instead of cinema. Development is firmly under way on a pilot for the telly version, and National Treasure director Jon Turteltaub has been hired to tackle it.
Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence has written the initial script with Blake McCormick, who will run the show if it makes it to air on US network CBS. They’ll be hoping Turteltaub’s streak of luck – the last three pilots he oversaw all ended up as series – will help this one.
The show will once more follow a stoic, by-the-book Hong Kong police detective (Jackie Chan in the films) who is sent to Los Angeles and must work alongside a wisecracking LAPD officer (Chris Tucker, who we’re guessing also won’t take on the role here). Cultures clash, insults are exchanged but ultimately the pair finds common ground to fight crime.
Rush Hour trilogy Brett Ratner, who some thought might direct the pilot himself, is attached as a producer alongside Arthur Sarkissian. No details have been given on when the show might air if it succeeds past the pilot stage, but all signs point to a potential spot on the autumn schedule across the pond.