The last Friday movie arrived in 2002, and Ice Cube has spent enough time trying to revive the franchise that the wait has become part of its story. Now, Last Friday is moving beyond conversations about whether it will happen. The latest development brings a filmmaker into the picture whose recent success is interestingly connected to the comedy that made Craig and Smokey household names.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed Tuesday (Oct. 27) that New Line Cinema has tapped Lawrence Lamont to direct the fourth installment. Cube has written the screenplay for Last Friday and will return to star and produce alongside Bob Teitel and CubeVision's Michael Gruber. Lamont's appointment makes sense, given the reception of One of Them Days, which followed two Los Angeles roommates scrambling to recover their rent money. The film earned more than $51 million worldwide against a reported $14 million budget. Its neighborhood humor and emphasis on friendship also drew comparisons to Friday, giving Lamont experience with the kind of comedy Cube helped popularize.
Before moving into feature films, the Detroit filmmaker built a career directing music videos and worked extensively with Big Sean. His credits also include collaborations with J. Cole and Nas. His work on "Light" earned him an MTV Video Music Award, while One of Them Days brought him the African American Film Critics Association's Breakthrough Director Award.
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The director announcement follows years of frustration surrounding the franchise's return. Cube previously spoke about difficulties reaching an agreement with New Line and Warner Bros., but the situation improved in April 2025 when he secured a deal to write and star in another installment.
The original Friday, directed by F. Gary Gray, arrived in 1995 and introduced audiences to Cube's Craig Jones and Chris Tucker's Smokey. Its success led to Next Friday in 2000 and Friday After Next in 2002, with Mike Epps joining the franchise as Day-Day. Moreover, production plans are also becoming more concrete. The California Film Commission announced earlier this month that Last Friday had been approved for state tax incentives. New Line received approximately $11.4 million in credits, with filming expected to take place over 40 days in Southern California.
Cube welcomed the opportunity to film where the franchise originated, emphasizing its longstanding connection to South Los Angeles. Still, casting remains one of the biggest unanswered questions. Epps has discussed returning as Day-Day, but a complete cast hasn't been announced. Chris Tucker's potential return as Smokey is also unconfirmed, leaving fans wondering whether the upcoming installment will finally reunite the original duo.
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