Let’s just say Ice Cube and the Powers That Be at New Line Cinema aren’t seeing eye-to-eye following the death of John Witherspoon in October.
Witherspoon was all set to appear in Ice Cube’s long-gestating sequel – tentatively titled Last Friday – though without any tangible progress (something that Cube blames squarely on the “dumbass people at New Line Cinema”), the fourth Friday film was essentially left to languish in development limbo.
Sadly, Witherspoon passed away before he was given one last chance to reprise the role of Mr. Jones (AKA “Pops”) in Last Friday, and it’s fair to say that Ice Cube isn’t happy. As for the movie itself, it’s seemingly been sent back to the drawing board, given that the original script submitted to New Line was “full of Mr. Jones,” according to Ice Cube.
Responding to one curious fan on Twitter, the N.W.A. rapper admitted that he feels “pissed” about the whole situation since the loss of Witherspoon and, in a follow-up interview with TMZ, vowed to never resurrect the character of Mr. Jones by way of CGI.
Back to the drawing board since New Line Cinema was slow on green lighting the LAST FRIDAY script that was full of Mr. Jones. I’ve been pissed off about it since Spoon passed away. https://t.co/wsWhPlIWQn
— Ice Cube (@icecube) December 23, 2019
Before New Line began dragging its feet on the Last Friday script, Ice Cube voiced his intention to release the sequel in April of 2020, though that particular launch date is no longer a sure thing – if it ever was. We’re still a ways away from a fourth Friday movie, then, though the fact that Ice Cube has vowed to honor John Witherspoon’s memory – and, by effect, take a CGI resurrection off the table – ought to please purist fans.
But what say you? Are you still excited by the prospect of Last Friday? And what do you make of Ice Cube’s view on a possible CGI resurrection? Let us know your thoughts in the usual spot.
