Mike Epps confirms final 'Friday' installment is happening after years of speculation
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'Anora,' Adrien Brody and the full Oscars recap
USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa recaps the 97th Academy Awards from Los Angeles, where 'Anora' was the night's big winner.
Following years of speculation, comedian Mike Epps seemingly confirmed that a "Last Friday" film is happening.
Epps, who co-starred in "Next Friday" and "Friday After Next" alongside rapper and writer Ice Cube, announced the new film while appearing as a guest on Power 105.1's "The Breakfast Club" on Tuesday.
"So, we doin' the last 'Friday' man," Epps said on the radio show.
The 54-year-old also gave praise to Ice Cube during the interview, saying: 'Shoutout to Cube, man. That's another brother that's put so many brothers on, man. Man, this dude put so many — and don't really get the props for it. Put me, Chris Tucker, Bernie Mac, I mean name 'em."
Numerous actors and comedians became household names in Hollywood after appearing in either "Friday," or the movie's two sequels, including Epps, Bernie Mac, Katt Williams, Chris Tucker, Faizon Love, John Witherspoon, Nia Long, Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. and Regina King.
Although Epps confirmed that a deal had been done for "Last Friday," he acknowledged that he had not read the film's script.
'But I'm pretty sure it's good,' the comedian said.
New Line Cinema, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, produced and distributed all three "Friday" films. USA TODAY contacted Warner Bros. on Tuesday but did not receive an immediate response.
Will Chris Tucker be in the final 'Friday' film?
Epps is hopeful that the film can bring back some of the returning cast while also introducing "new comics," specifically namedropping comedian D.C. Young Fly. One individual Epps said the film needs is Chris Tucker, who during an interview with All Urban Central in 2021 said he decided against returning to the franchise because he felt his character promoted weed smoking.
"Back then, I gotta tell you, one of the reasons why I didn't do the second one was because of the weed," Tucker said in 2021. "Because I said, 'Man, that movie became a phenomenon, I don't want everybody smoking weed.' And I never really told people this because I kind of forgot about it, but it was one of the reasons why I didn't do it. Because I said, 'I don't wanna represent everybody smoking weed.'"
Tucker did entertain returning for a fourth installment at a point, telling All Urban Central: "I always said, because I know my fans love the movies so much (and) they always bring it up, I said, "Well, if they come to me with a great script and a great idea, I'd definitely consider it.' But it's been so long ago and that character became such a great character. I don't wanna mess it up."
When will 'Last Friday' be released?
There has not been a definitive timeline or announcement of the film aside from Epps and other stars saying it is in the works, including Cube and Williams just last year.
During an interview on former NFL quarterback Cam Newton's "Funky Friday" YouTube show, Cube spoke on "Last Friday" and blamed the film's stagnant development on disagreements with studio executives at Warner Bros. Entertainment.
'With a 'Friday' movie, I don't want no studio telling me how to do this movie. I know these characters, know this culture and everything; I know what it needs to be, and they don't,' Cube told Newton.
Disagreements aside, Cube said he and others will "do what we need to make it dope, make it funny (and) bring it up to date." Williams, who played the character Money Mike in "Friday After Next," told sports broadcaster and former NFL player Shannon Sharpe that he was supposed to have been helping Cube write the script for the movie.
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