Rush Hour (1998 film)

Rush Hour is a 1998 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner from a screenplay by Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna and a story by LaManna. It stars Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Penn, and Elizabeth Peña. In the film, Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective James Carter (Tucker) are forced to work together to rescue a Chinese diplomat's abducted daughter.

Development on Rush Hour began in 1995, after LaManna wrote a spec script, which was first initially sold to Hollywood Pictures with Ratner and Chan both attached to the project. The film was eventually shelved until being acquired by New Line Cinema, who had an established relationship with Ratner and Tucker following Money Talks (1997). Several actors were considered prior to Tucker signing onto the project, with the rest of the cast rounded out by early 1997. Principal photography began that November and lasted until January 1998, with filming locations including Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Rush Hour was theatrically released in the United States on September 18, 1998, by New Line Cinema. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Tucker and Chan's chemistry and performances. It also grossed $245.3 million worldwide and was followed by two sequels: Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2007).