While Chan was always set to star as Chief Inspector Lee, the role of Detective James Carter went through a couple of hands before landing on Chris Tucker.Ĭhris Tucker attending the Harold and Carole Pump Foundation Gala in Los Angeles, California, on Aug(Credit: RobinLori / INSTARimages) Rush Hour was initially penned as a spec script by screenwriter Ross LaManna, who envisioned the concept of having a Hong Kong inspector pair up with a loudmouthed LAPD detective. Jackie Chan attending the closing ceremony of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Decem(Credit: Balkis Press / ABACA / INSTARimages / Cover Images) How Chris Tucker Was Cast in Rush Hour Jackie Chan as Ma Hon Keung in the 1995 American-Hong Kong martial arts film Rumble in the Bronx (Credit: New Line Cinema / Golden Harvest)ĭespite the success of Rumble in the Bronx, studio executives at Disney Studios were apparently unconvinced that Chan would be viable as a North American film star.Įventually, New Line Cinema gave the green light to Ratner to start the project, as they had worked with him previously on Money Talks (1997), which was a financially successful film. This convinced Ratner to work on a Hollywood project that would see Chan in the lead role and not as a supporting character. Rumble in the Bronx was Jackie Chan’s breakthrough film for American audiences and ended up grossing $32 million in its North American theatrical run.

Ratner first envisioned a Hollywood film starring Chan in the late 1990s after seeing the success of 1995’s Rumble in the Bronx, a Hong Kong action film starring Chan that takes place in New York City.

The first Rush Hour film was the first English-speaking role for Jackie Chan (who, up until that point, mainly starred in Hong Kong action films), where he used his actual voice and did not overdub the English dialogue.ĭirector Brett Ratner apparently had to convince Chan to do so, as Chan was worried that his limited English skills would hinder the dialogue in the film.Ĭhris Tucker and Jackie Chan with director Brett Ratner at the premiere of Rush Hour 3 in Hollywood, California on J(Credit: Carlos Diaz / INFphoto) Let’s get started! How Jackie Chan Was Cast in Rush Hour In this article, we’ll be giving you the inside scoop on the humble beginnings of the Rush Hour franchise, as well as providing a ranking of the best Rush Hour movies. Starting with the release of Rush Hour in 1998, the Rush Hour trilogy has featured three installments, including a sequel that was released in 2001 and a third film released in 2007.Ĭhris Tucker and Jackie Chan have formed an unlikely duo for the successful Rush Hour trilogy (Credit: INFphoto)ĭespite the magic of their pairing onscreen, the dynamic duo almost didn’t even make it to the silver screen! What do you get when you combine a fast-talking comedian with a legend of Hong Kong martial arts cinema? Apparently, you get a recipe for a successful trilogy of action-comedy films!

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