'Rush Hour' TV Series In the Works

Another Rush Hour film might not be viable at this point, but a TV adaptation very well could be. Warner Bros. Television is developing a primetime comedy/drama based on the hit action films.

Bill Lawrence, creator of Cougar Town and Scrubs, will develop and write the project alongside colleague Blake McCormick. Although Warner Bros. is refusing to confirm or deny the existence of the project, the truth remains that the films already have the basic shape of a primetime procedural, as two mismatched detectives solve weird, wacky crimes each week.

Centering on a Hong Kong Police Force inspector (Jackie Chan) and an American LAPD detective (Chris Tucker) assigned to work a case together, the Rush Hour films have grossed a combined $849,734,899 worldwide.

Brett Ratner, who directed the original 1998 film, is on-board as executive producer with Arthur Sarkissian and Jeff Ingold. While not network is attached just yet, the project is still in its infancy. If Lawrence and co. can fashion a pilot half as exhilarating and amusing as any of the films, they could have a potential hit on their hands, which doesn't always happen with film-to-television adaptations. Rush Hour, however, has more potential than most, thanks to its TV-ready premise.

There’s no network deal yet, however, so Rush Hour is still in the early stages. WBTV did not confirm the project. But unlike some films that studios attempt to adapt movies into TV shows, Rush Hour has a storyline that fits squarely into what popular TV shows do well: solve weekly crimes.

Via: Entertainment Weekly

Credit: New Line Cinema