Ice Cube Details Original 'Friday 4' Script That Was Rejected By Studio

Ice Cube has shared details about the script he came up with for a fourth Friday movie before it was rejected by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema.

Speaking on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, Cube — who writes the cult films as well as stars in them — discussed the contents of the original screenplay.

“I wrote a script where Craig and Day-Day, they had a dispensary. They had a flash mob in there and they caught one of the kids and beat his little ass, and they end up going to jail,” he said.

“So they in jail ducking Deebo, they in jail ducking Damon, they in jail ducking the Joker brothers. And then they get into a rehab.”

The N.W.A legend said that he wanted to bring Chris Tucker back into the fold to reprise his role as Smokey, who only appears in the first Friday film.

“Smokey was running the rehab but it was a bullshit rehab where he was taking everybody’s weed and smoking it,” he said with a laugh.

However, Warner Bros. and New Line rejected the script as they didn’t see the appeal of a movie being set in jail, according to Cube.

“They were like, ‘Jail’s not funny, it’s too much time in jail. How can you make jail funny?’ And I’m like, ‘Man, y’all don’t know what the fuck y’all talking about.’

“Then they come out with Orange is the New Black, Let’s Go to Prison, all these movies about that. And I’m like, ‘See, more Hollywood execs don’t know what the fuck they talking about.'”

Ice Cube also explained that the main reason a fourth Friday movie hasn’t yet happened was creative differences with the studio, which is contractually attached to release any sequel.

“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 need to be and they don’t,” he said.

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He added that there were further complications after the deaths of multiple cast members including John Witherspoon (Craig’s father Mr. Jones), Tiny Lister (Deebo) and A.J. Johnson (Ezal).

“I was like, ‘Fuck y’all. Y’all just killed the culture.’ I mean, not killed the culture, but you guys are holding the happiness of the culture hostage by not making this movie,'” he recalled.

Ice Cube recently confirmed that another Friday sequel is on the way, saying to Million Dollaz Worth of Game: “It’s coming back. We gonna do it. We gonna make it dope, make it funny, bring it up to date, introduce new characters, bring back old characters, create the feeling the movie gives you.”

He continued: “People love Friday because everyone experienced it. People love Friday because everyone’s lived Friday. Everyone has lived a thousand Fridays.”