Melania doc director mocked for major snag in delivering Trump-requested movie
A feature film requested by President Donald Trump has hit a financing snag, leading to mockery of the film's director.
Brett Ratner, who helmed the Melania documentary released earlier this year, has not managed to secure firm funding for a fourth Rush Hour film, per industry insiders. Puck reporter Matthew Belloni claimed the film had hit financial trouble and had yet to secure its stars, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, for the fourth iteration.
Belloni wrote, "...the planned shoot in China, Africa, and Saudi Arabia this spring or summer has been pushed to September at the earliest, per multiple sources, and it’s unclear if the planned $115 million to $120 million in production financing is solidly lined up.
"Producers Arthur Sarkissian and Tarak Ben Ammar still do not have deals with stars Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan (initial offers of $8 million each were rejected, I’m told; both made around $20 million for Rush Hour 3 in 2007, with Tucker making more than Chan).
"It got me wondering whether the turmoil in the Middle East, where Ben Ammar had raised money, might be endangering Ratner’s big post-Melania comeback."
Ratner has since been mocked, along with the film's producers, by industry experts and film stars for lowballing the Rush Hour stars.
Writer Oliver Jia praised the co-stars for turning down the initial offer. He wrote, "That’s just smart business sense. Also, Jackie Chan is one of the busiest actors in the world, and he doesn’t even particularly like the Rush Hour series. He seems largely done with Hollywood too. You’d have to offer him oil tankers of cash to get him back.
Film star Paul Walter Hauser added, "Both guys need 25mil. Don't play." Film critic Matt Neglia added, "Whatever makes him mad."
Ratner's previous project, a documentary on First Lady Melania Trump, had crew members hoping the film would flop. One insider, speaking to Rolling Stone, said, "People were worked really hard. Really long hours, highly disorganized, very chaotic."
Another source suggested they hoped that the film wouldn't perform well. They said, “Unfortunately, if it does flop, I would really feel great about it.”
Despite President Trump's declaration that the $75 million film was a "blockbuster" after its $8 million opening, critics and data analysts paint a drastically different picture. Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for distribution rights, compounding the financial disaster.