Fact Check: Are Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker playing lovers in 'Rush Hour 4'?

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: A rumor has been circulating online with the claim that in the fourth installment of the iconic comedy-action film 'Rush Hour', starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, the detective duo will be playing lovers. The rumor has sparked speculations, with many questioning the authenticity of the claim. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker are lovers in 'Rush Hour 4'

The claim surfaced on the social media platform X, which came with photos of the two actors and a caption that read, “Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker will be lovers in Rush Hour 4.”

The post published on Tuesday, January 20, is being circulated widely, sparking questions and criticisms from the fans of the iconic buddy cop action film series created by Ross LaManna and directed by Brett Ratner, in which Chan and Tucker will be uniting after almost two decades.

Fact Check: The claim is from a parody account

The claim, however, is false, as it was posted by a parody account named Hoops Crave for entertainment purposes. The page’s bio states, 'parody account not affiliated with @PopCrave.'

Also, no credible entertainment media outlets have reported on the claim. A search on Google or any other search engine also does not generate any results supporting the claim.

A fact check by Grok, the AI assistant of X, debunked the claim, saying, “This claim is from a parody account and appears false. Official updates on 'Rush Hour 4' mention a plot involving wildlife poaching, with no mention of Chan and Tucker's characters as lovers. Plot details remain unconfirmed.”

The iconic action-comedy film franchise

The 'Rush Hour' franchise is a series of American buddy cop action comedy films.

All three films center around a pair of police detectives, Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Chief Inspector Lee, played by Chan, and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective James Carter, played by Tucker, who go on their series of misadventures involving corrupt crime figures in Hong Kong and Los Angeles.

The films incorporate elements of martial arts and humor.

The first 'Rush Hour' was released in 1998 and grossed $245.3 million worldwide. It was followed by 'Rush Hour 2' in 2001 and 'Rush Hour 3' in 2007.

The first film was a major success, but the third installment had clearly lost momentum. Although it performed decently at the box office, it failed to impress the audience.