The final installment of the “Friday franchise, “Last Friday,” remains stuck in development due to what The Wall Street Journal reports are ongoing issues between star/producer Ice Cube and Warner Bros. Pictures.
The paper says WarnerMedia and Cube have “exchanged heated letters” over the past several weeks, negotiations may have irreparably stalled despite a desire from both parties to get the movie made.
Reportedly, Cube wants Warners to surrender its rights to “Friday” along with two other movies he made for the studio, “All About the Benjamins” and “The Players Club”. In addition, Cube’s lawyer also reportedly says the studio has been excessive in its feedback notes.
Warner Bros. has dubbed the demand “extortionate” in its response, an attempt to unjustly obtain its intellectual property, and are declining to surrender the rights to any of their Ice Cube films. They also indicate Cube has an “unwillingness” to engage with the studio.
Cube’s rep suggested that there could also be a case of discrimination at the studio as Cube’s projects are “habitually underfunded in comparison with projects featuring white casts and creative teams.” Warners flat out denies said complaint saying it is “grounded in a libellous set of knowing falsehoods.”
The death of the late John Witherspoon, who appeared as Pops in all three movies of the series so far, was also a setback and at this point “Last Friday” isn’t looking likely to happen.
Source: Indiewire