'Rush Hour 4' director Brett Ratner heads to China with Trump to scout movie locations

Well-known movie director Brett Ratner was able to tag along with President Donald Trump Air Force One as the president and top CEOs in the US made their way to China this week. Ratner also directed Amazon MGM Studios' Melania, the documentary following First Lady Melania Trump during preparations for her husband's second swearing-in ceremony. The release of the film in January brought in over $16.4 million domestically before it hit streaming.

Ratner plans to find filming sites for Rush Hour 4, his first major studio project since facing allegations of sexual misconduct in 2017, which he has denied. The action-comedy sequel will be released by Paramount.

Trump left the US for the highly anticipated summit in China this week, where he will meet one-on-one with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ratner's inclusion in those included on the trip with Trump was first reported by the South China Morning Post. Rater’s spokesperson Victoria Palmer-Moore subsequently later verified the trip. Questions remain about whether he holds official delegation status, alongside confirmed members like Elon Musk.

The first Rush Hour film was released in 1998, and it was Ratner’s major break to then develop two more movies off the storyline. The franchise has earned over $850 million at the box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Of the film Melania, Ratner said “If anything, this was a bigger risk because of the polarization and subject matter. I didn’t do this to get me back into Hollywood. That wasn’t my strategy. I’ve been waiting to make Rush Hour 4 — that was my strategy.”