andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

After parties aren’t hard to come by in the entertainment world, which is why it was no surprise Michael Jackson’s burial was followed by a high-profile soiree at Villa Sorriso Ristorante in Pasadena.

It’s even less-surprising that the footage could be turned into a special screening for A&E. A DVD, with footage of the burial, is also rumoured to be in the works.

The funeral was indeed a star-studded affair, with guests including Elizabeth Taylor, Barry Bonds, Macaulay Culkin, Mila Kunis, Chris Tucker, Al Sharpton and the entire Jackson family (although they arrived nearly an hour and a half late.)

Following the ceremony at the Forest Lawn cemetary in Glendale, some of the Jackson family and other mourners went to the restaurant where Rat Pack music played throughout the night and Casablanca was screened on the walls, according to TMZ. On the way out, Corey Feldman busted out his fedora and best MJ dance move to the resounding cheers of crowds outside the restaurant.

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Chris Tucker is back in Rush Hour 3, opening today.

It’s Tucker’s first film in six years. His last movie? Rush Hour 2.

Tucker, ever so selective, doesn’t just sign on to every project he’s offered.

andPOP sat down with Tucker to talk about Rush Hour 3, what keeps the Rush Hour franchise going, and what’s next for the actor.

After being stuck in development for more than two years, Rush Hour 3 is being hastened into production.

E!Online reports that New Line Cinema has penned the movie into their 2007 summer schedule. Stars Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, as well as director Brett Ratner, have all signed on to the third chapter in the action-comedy franchise about two mismatched cops.

The movie was supposed to start production in 2003, but Tucker, despite being offered $20 million, demanded script approval. In the meantime, Chan and Ratner moved on with other projects.

Tucker will still receive $20 million, and he will also get 20 per cent of the gross. In exchange, he has agreed to forego script approval. Chan takes home $15 million against 15 per cent of the gross, and he also owns distribution rights in China and Hong Kong.

The studio will bet a $120 million budget on the film. The original 1998 Rush Hour was budgeted at $35 million and made $140 million, and the 2001 sequel earned $226 million on a cost of $90 million. No wonder they’re in such a rush to get this off the ground.

Production on “Rush Hour 3″ is stalled because co-star Chris Tucker is making too many demands according to Jackie Chan.

“He wants too much power. The movie company hasn’t obliged. He wants final editing rights and the final look at the movie and so on,” said Chan, 51.

“He’s still a new actor. How many movies has he made? Two movies have already made him very famous and made him a lot of money. He needs to learn slowly.”

Tucker pulled out of the movie last month along with director Brett Ratner who signed on to direct “X-Men 3.”

But Chan said that Tucker is a good friend and insists that he will be in the third installment of the buddy action series. During a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday Chan said that he hopes to start filming in early 2006.

The Hong Kong Star reports that Tucker thinks Chan is too much of a pushover.

“When he asks me what I want, I say ‘I don’t care,’ and he’ll scold me, saying, ‘They make so much money off us. We’ll have to get it back’,” said Chan.

In the meantime Chan is working on another movie with director Zhang Yimou whose works includes “Hero,” and “House of Flying Daggers.”

Chan didn’t reveal any details of the movie but says that it was his idea and that Zhang will work on the script.