It’s been more than two decades since Friday After Next dropped, but the wait is finally (and officially) over — Last Friday is on the way.
Ice Cube has officially reached a deal to write and star in the fourth installment of the iconic Friday franchise for Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. Titled Last Friday, the film marks a major full-circle moment — both for Cube and for the people who’ve been riding with the series since it debuted in 1995.
New Line Cinema president and CCO Richard Brener confirmed the deal in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, with Variety also backing up the news. Cube, who’s been vocal about his desire to return to the Friday universe, will both write and star in the film, which would be the first in the franchise since Friday After Next hit theaters in 2002.
The news also got a cosign from Mike Epps, who played Day-Day in the second and third films. During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Epps revealed that Cube personally called him with the update.
“He called me the other day,” Epps shared. “Said we doing—just finished the deal. So we doing the next Friday, man. Big shout-out to Cube. That’s another brother that’s put so many brothers on.”
Epps gave Cube his flowers for creating opportunities for so many in the game — Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, and countless others. While he hasn’t read the script yet, Epps hinted that the next chapter will blend the OG cast with a new generation of comedic talent.
“We gonna bring in the DC Young Flys and all of them with the OGs,” he teased. “It’s gonna be a good ass—”
And of course, the question everybody’s asking: will Chris Tucker return as Smokey?
“Hopefully, we can get Chris Tucker,” Epps added. “People still love Chris Tucker. He is Smokey. He laid it down. He positioned me to do it. Chris, if you listening—we need you, baby boy.”
Ice Cube Has Been Fighting for This Film For Years
Getting to this point has been anything but easy. Ice Cube has spent years trying to get the fourth Friday made, hitting countless delays and roadblocks with the studio. Last summer, Cube spoke with Flavor Flav on his SiriusXM show Flavor of the Week, saying there was finally “traction” on the project thanks to Warner Bros. co-chief Michael De Luca — who just so happened to be at New Line when Cube made the original Friday, The Players Club, and All About the Benjamins.
“They got new leadership: my man Mike De Luca,” Cube said. “He was there when I first did Friday, Players Club — Mike De Luca was there.”
Cube has never hidden his frustration with the long delays, especially as time passed and the franchise lost legends like John Witherspoon, Tiny “Zeus” Lister Jr., and Anthony Johnson.
“I was a little hot ’cause they took so long,” Cube said. “We keep losing people, and y’all keep dicking around not doing the movie the way it needs to be done.”
In 2023, he publicly called out Warner Bros. for dragging their feet, even pushing to get the rights back.
“Warner Bros. is weird right now,” Cube said at the time. “We’d love to have [the rights] back. It’s my movie, but they have distribution control.”
Now, it looks like the pieces have finally aligned. Cube’s back in the driver’s seat — with a deal that ensures he gets to make the movie his way.
“They want to do it,” he said. “But the key is—it’s gotta be done right.”
A Legacy That Still Hits
Since its debut in 1995, the Friday franchise has become a staple in Black cinema — effortlessly mixing comedy, culture, and slice-of-life storytelling from South Central L.A. It helped launch careers, created timeless catchphrases, and gave voice to a part of L.A. that Hollywood often overlooked.
And now, after 20+ years and a whole lot of waiting, Last Friday is finally in motion.
Whether you’re in it for Smokey, Day-Day, or the neighborhood chaos that only happens on a Friday — you might want to clear your schedule. Last Friday is coming.