There are so many weird things about Trump that I could probably print anything here and have it seem believable. But today’s report comes from Semafor Media, which is reporting that Trump wants to take a more hands-on approach to shaping American pop culture.
This all stems from Trump’s relationship with Larry Ellison, who is not only one of his biggest financial backers but also one of the major backers behind the Paramount Skydance acquisition.
Now, aside from The Apprentice and Home Alone 2, Trump has always been interested in Hollywood. He had a lot of friends here before his presidential runs, and he’s even taken a few stabs at producing on Broadway.
But he’s never had access to the kind of power that a studio head brings to shape culture.
Let’s dive in.
The Macho Mandate
According to the report, Trump has personally pressed Larry Ellison to bring back the Rush Hour franchise. The President’s taste leans heavily toward the high-octane, “macho” cinema of the late 80s and 90s (think Bloodsport and Rambo).
Film producer Dallas Sonnier is quoted as predicting this could usher in a wave of “classically male-driven movies with mentally tough, traditional, courageous, confident heroes.”
Now I love the Rush Hour movies, Jackie Chan is one of my favorite actors of all time, and his chemistry with Chris Tucker rocks.
But I have a feeling Trump wants these movies to come back in order to get Brett Ratner, who directed them, more work.
Ratner just finished directing a doc on the first lady, Melania Trump, so it’s kind of easy to follow the yellow brick road there.
During the #MeToo movement, Ratner came under the microscope for prior behaviors and has not worked much since.
Outside of Ratner’s baggage, there is probably a real market for a Rush Hour sequel or a way to reboot the franchise, which was very financially successful.
Still, can Trump bring back these macho movies in general?
I think we’ve seen a lot of John Wick knockoffs, and that trend will continue as long as those movies make money. I mean, look at Working Man, which cleaned up last year on a tiny budget.
The market is there for these movies, but the answer is a little murkier. Trump can probably influence his backers to get a few movies made, but the Ellisons go rich running businesses, too.
If those movies don’t clean up at the box office, I don’t see Paramount being their strategy to make them work.
This is a time will tell situation.
‘John Wick 2’ Credit: Lionsgate
Follow the Money
This story isn’t just about a movie or an idea Trump wants to bring back; it’s about consolidation.
Like every other story in 2025 and earlier, we’re talking about how Hollywood is shrinking and how the people in power get ot make all the decisions.
Larry Ellison owns Paramount, and as I said up top, is reportedly eyeing Warner Bros. Discovery. If that acquisition happens, a massive chunk of Hollywood’s legacy media will be under the control of a figure directly allied with the White House.
We’ve seen Ellison reshape CNN, but now they have a real chance to reshape the media. Will they do that with more movies people view as Republican friendly?
This might be overblown.
The real worry is that they refuse to greenlight movies that they may deem to have a message they think would upset Trump, possibly about immigration or maybe ones critical of him or America. Like, I don’t think the new Paramount is making The Apprentice movie.
Movies have always been a place for people to come together, and while people complain online about “messaging,” we need people to go to the movies in general.
If I were any of these new studios, I would focus on finding those four quadrants and not trying to appease 50% of a political stance.
Also, by the time any of these movies are greenlit and shot, it might be an election season again, so basing your strategy around a current administration feels pretty foolhardy. And I suspect the Ellisons know that.
Summing It All Up
Whether Rush Hour 4 happens or not is beside the point. The real story is that the wall between Washington and Hollywood doesn’t really exist anymore, and what studios make are going to be in the crosshairs of this administration.
They have the movies they want to see and the ones they don’t, and it looks like there’s at least one studio they’re willing to pressure one way or the other.
Let me know what you think in the comments.