Tucker Ready to “Rush”
Chris Tucker is suddenly in a rush to make movies again.
The Rush Hour star, who hasn’t made a film since 2001’s Rush Hour 2, is close to signing a two-picture, $40 million dollar deal with New Line Cinema that will finally put the wheels in motion for Rush Hour 3, according to Variety.
The deal sounds similar to one reported in a March issue of the New Yorker. In a story about Hollywood deal-making, the magazine reported that Tucker will get a $20 million-plus payday for Rush Hour 3, plus 20 percent of the receipts.
In any case, the long-in-the-works third edition of Rush Hour is aiming to begin production later this year in Los Angeles and Paris.
The first Rush Hour, a 1998 action-comedy mismatching Tucker and Jackie Chan as L.A. and Hong Kong detectives forced to team up on a case, was budgeted at $35 million and grossed more than $140 million domestically. The 2001 sequel brought everyone back at a cost of $90 million but did even better business, taking in more than $226 million at the North-American box office. Variety reports Tucker took home $2 million for Rush Hour and a cool $20 million for Rush Hour 2.
Chan has already signed on for Rush Hour 3, as has original Rush Hour director Brett Ratner. Chan stands to earn about $20 million and Ratner, $7.5 million, per Variety.
While Tucker has kept a low profile in recent years, he wound up making the wrong kind of headlines last month. He was busted in Georgia after leading police on a high-speed chase.
Police said the 33-year-old comic actor had gunned his 2005 Bentley up to 120 during the 12-mile pursuit.
Tucker, who told cops he was on his way to church, was rung up on counts of reckless driving and fleeing to elude–both charges carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine (it’s doubtful Tucker will spend any time behind bars for the incident). The Atlanta native spent some quality time in jail before posting bail.
Tucker’s name has also come up in Michael Jackson’s ongoing child-molestation trial. Tucker, a longtime Jackson friend, reportedly had dealings with the singer’s young accuser. Jackson’s defense has listed Tucker as a potential witness, but it’s not known if or when he will take the stand.
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