Ice Cube has spoken on several occasions about his disputes with Warner Bros. over the ownership and future of his Friday film series.
The West Coast rap legend recently offered a hopeful update regarding the franchise’s future, revealing that it might be revived after over two decades of dormancy.
During an interview on Sirius XM’s Flavor Of The Week, Ice Cube discussed the progress made with Warner Bros. under its new leadership. He specifically mentioned Mike DeLuca, a familiar face from his early career days at New Line Cinema, who is now at the helm of Warner Bros.
The rapper recounted his frustration with the studio’s delays, especially in light of the deaths of key cast members like John Witherspoon, Tiny Lister, and A.J. Johnson. Despite these setbacks, he expressed optimism about the studio’s renewed interest in continuing the series, emphasizing the importance of doing it right to honor the legacy of the original films.
The Friday trilogy, comprising Friday (1995), Next Friday (2000), and Friday After Next (2002), remains a cultural touchstone. However, the battle for ownership has been a significant hurdle. Ice Cube has been candid about Warner Bros.’ control over the franchise’s name and characters, making it challenging to move forward without their involvement.
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Last year, Cube revealed that Warner Bros. holds not only the franchise’s name but also the names of its iconic characters. This ownership complicates any efforts to continue the series independently. Nonetheless, Cube remains committed to fighting for the rights to his creation, although he prefers to avoid a legal showdown with the studio.
Ice Cube first announced his work on a fourth installment in 2017, yet the film has yet to materialize. During a live taping of Drink Champs at the Rock The Bells festival in 2022, he disclosed that he had presented two scripts to Warner Bros., both of which were rejected. One script, focusing on Craig and Day-Day’s run-ins with the law over marijuana before its legalization, was turned down despite the studio later producing similar themed content.
The second script depicted a conflict between the younger generation and OGs in the neighborhood, with Craig returning to mediate the tensions. This concept, too, was rejected, adding to Cube’s frustration with the studio’s handling of the franchise.