Oh good grief! It looks like Rush Hour 3 is indeed going to be heading into production after all… and I’m glad about that… but at what price??? As we’ve talked about a lot here on The Movie Blog, Chris Tucker (moron) has been holding things up with totally stupid demands regarding money and creative control of the film. Well… looks like he gave up on the creative control part… but the money…
The folks over at AICN is reporting that Tucker’s money demands have been caved in to. The studio is going to be paying him (are you ready for this?) $20 million for the film PLUS 20% of the box office. While Jackie Chan will get $15 million plus 15% of the box office. HOW INSANE IS THAT!?!?!
Ok, let’s just ignore the outrageous fact that Tucker is getting almost 35% MORE money than Jackie Chan is (how stupid is that???). $20 million for Chris Tucker??? Are they serious?!?!?!
How can studios DARE complain to us (the public) about them losing money when they go off and cave to the demands of some b-list actor for $20 million?!?!?! HOW DARE THEY!!!
“Oh… we’re the movie industry… we’re going poor because little Billy-no-shoes is downloading Resident Evil on his computer” BULLSH*T!!!
With just the two actors, the studio has committed $35 million dollars AND 35% of all the boxoffice returns. WELL GEE WHIZ GUYS, I WONDER WHY YOU’RE NOT TURNING A PROFIT LIKE YOU WERE IN THE 90’s!!!! You fricken bunch of brain dead morons!
This news is so stupid it makes my head hurt just thinking about it. Chris Tucker gets $20 million… give me a bloody break.
Rant over.
Tucker is a amazing dont knock him.. the industy has so much more money the films have made over 500million together worldwide, this next one will blast off even more; they deserve it, im glad he held out and waited.. this is the best way hes a good guy trust in Chris tucker you know he delievers !
I think Chris sucks, he’s a loud mouth that rides on the backs of his co-stars.
He’s definitely not worth $20 million. Jackie Chan doesn’t say much, be he doesn’t have to. For a guy his age doing what he does….. I take my hat off. I will probably end up in a wheelchair trying all his stunts.
As far as I’m concerned, if the studios are willing to pay that to Tucker then he has every right to ask for it. You can’t blame him for trying to get every penny he can get. And bottom line is that this is a business first, and an art second for just about every studio out there. They see that they can net a big enough number that they’ll still get a huge return even after they pay ridiculous sums to Tucker and Chan.
Truly, it doesn’t bother me at all. You just have to be a realist about these things. Sometimes Hollywood does the right thing, but mostly they just do whatever they think is going to make them the most money.
Tucker was not such an idiot as many people thought. He knew producers would pay a lot, he trusted on his gut feeling – although he had nothing else going – and got his money where his mouth is.
Of yeah, Chris Tucker has even less talent than ’50 cent’, but they both know how the system works, so good for them. Still, giving that kind of money and shouting about piracy is a bit odd.
… Jackie has been given Asian (Hong Kong and China at least) distribution rights So he might well make as much as Tucker.
My thoughts are this:
1. Ask and you shall receive.
2. He was smart enough to ask for outrageous sums of money and returns as a bargainins position, so he’s not any more moronic than say, Demi Moore, in that respect. He happened to luck out when the producers didn’t talk him down.
3. The producers are the morons for paying out that much plus returns. He simple got what he wanted. There’s no crime in asking, but there certainly is in spoiling children that way.
4. Jackie should have automatically gotten his pay increased by the producers – no questions asked.
5. That Chan’s people didn’t immediately get into with the producers from all accounts shows he’s not only far more talented than Tucker, but far more mature and classy.
‘Nuff said.
I have to admit he’s a funny guy but not 20 million dollar funny.
Forgetting the movie and the actors involved, John you’re so right to keep on at this one. Too much is spent on actors and marketing for a Studio to have any right to claim it’s the publics fault for a failing movie industry by downloading illegal copies of movies.
It is a problem sure, but it’s not as bad as inflated salaries and huge budgets for unnecessary parties, presents, marketing, etc that goes into selling some of these movies.
this time i agree. jackie chan is a harder working actor than chris tucker. just line-up their filmographies at imdb. jackie chan has almost 100 films under his belt. chris tucker… 9. lol
I don’t like these kind of movies but your all missing the point Jackie Chan and (Like him or not)Chris Tucker guarantee a massive opening for this movie, it will make money because of their names even if it’s rubbish. Studio’s pay for the return value stars bring to a movie and as a duo they are worth their weight in gold. Chan cannot demand that money on his own or with Owen Wilson. And what has acting ability got to do with the Rush Hour series???
I hate the way people use actor wages as an excuse for stealing, people steal movies because they want to and because it’s easy and they think there is no comeback for doing so. Downloader’s would do it even if the lead actors where working for free.
Until Chan teamed up with Tucker he was worthless at the US box office, even though he was Asia’s biggest star.
Take black / Asian team up movie Drive, which is better than the entire Rush Hour series or the Jet Li DMX team ups, but Kadeem Hardison and Mark Dacascos (OK I know he is Hawaiian, but you get the point) are not a box office draw.
I seriously think putting anyone else in other than Chris Tucker will wont really be felt in the box office. Come on, did he really carry the movie? I don’t think so. He had alittle height in it. But it was all Jacky Chan. I say trash the guy.
I think it was in one of the recent audio editions that said that Beverly Hills Cop was the number one top grossing comedy of all time. That is why Chris Tucker is being given this money. The movie execs see him as the new Eddie Murphy and are banking on past examples, not on whatever merit he has as an actor or the quality of the picture itself. It sucks that the best actors don’t get financially rewarded but I think thats the way it’s always been.
Oh, BTW, illegal downloading is serious and it isn’t bullshit.
But you’re still right. Tucker and Chan should at least be equal in pay.
Naw, screw that.
Get rid of Tucker, bring in someone else.
This Owen Wilson actor. He’s good.
:)
Ryan, you hit the right mark. Chris Tucker has been alright in some supporting roles like Fifth Element and Jackie Brown (well, anyone could have played Boumont, really) . but is he worth 20 mil? No.
Fact: He is a medicore actor at best.
Fact: He thinks he’s funny when he’s not.
Fact: Denzel Washington gets 20 million a picture. You can understand that.
Chris Tucker hasn’t done jackshit in a lead role. No awards. No box office. Zippo.
He has never opened a film on his own. He has either been in a buddy picture like the Rush Hours, or a supporting actor in big movies and.or indie films.
Conclusion: We don’t need Rush Hour 3, especially with the talentless Tucker.
Bad actor, maybe. I am no big fan of him, but he has hardly made a small “B” movie. Friday, Fifth Element, Jackie Brown, Rush Hour 1 & 2, and now this. He might suck, but at least movie-wise he is no B-list celebrity (by any means).
But yeah, 20 million, haha, that is funny.
I agree that whomever caved into his demands are morons, but is Chris Tucker (of whom I not a fan at all) a moron for asking for such an outrageous amount of money? Only if he didn’t get it, which he did.
All I can say is, I agree.