Summary:
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Ice Cube confirms production of “Last Friday,” tackling gentrification in South Central Los Angeles with potential Chris Tucker return.
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Ice Cube and Mike Epps reveal plans for the long-delayed film, aiming to start production later this year.
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New Line Cinema closes deal with Ice Cube for the final installment, involving Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder and DJ Pooh.
After nearly a decade of public battles with Warner Bros., Ice Cube has confirmed that “Last Friday,” the fourth and final installment in the beloved comedy franchise, is officially in production. And this time, the story is hitting close to home.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Ice Cube and Mike Epps confirmed that the long-delayed film will tackle the gentrification of the South Central Los Angeles neighborhood that has anchored the series since 1995. Production is scheduled to begin later this year.
“We’re talking to him and he wants to come back,” Epps said when asked about Chris Tucker, who has not appeared in the franchise since the original 1995 film. Cube added that Tucker is “one of the best” and that he believes the actor will reprise his role as Smokey.
The deal was first announced in April 2025 by New Line Cinema president Richard Brener, who told The Hollywood Reporter the studio had closed an agreement with Ice Cube to write and star in the project. Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder and longtime collaborator DJ Pooh are also reportedly involved in the writing room.
The road to “Last Friday” has been a long one. Ice Cube spent years publicly accusing Warner Bros. of blocking the sequel, even launching a #FreeFriday social media campaign and alleging that the studio rejected two earlier scripts. The momentum shifted in 2024 when Mike De Luca took over as head of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.
The original “Friday,” released in 1995, became a cult classic and launched one of the most recognizable comedy franchises in Black cinema. It was followed by “Next Friday” in 2000 and “Friday After Next” in 2002. The series has continued without two of its most iconic cast members, John Witherspoon and Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr., who died in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
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By framing the final chapter around gentrification, Ice Cube is positioning “Last Friday” as more than a nostalgia play. The neighborhood that introduced audiences to Craig, Smokey, Day-Day, and Deebo is no longer the same place it was 30 years ago, and the film appears ready to reckon with what has been lost.
A release date has not been announced.
