Ice Cubehopes to release the next “Friday” film in 2020, right on time for the comedy’s 25th anniversary.
Speaking toComplexabout the iconic film in which the co-starred with comedian Chris Tucker, Ice Cube said, “It would be nice,” to mark the 25th anniversary of the first “Friday” movie next April with a brand new flick, adding that it would be “a hit that day.”
“But I’m not going to pressure and pigeonhole myself, or put myself in a box to try to make a date. But we are going to try to put out in 2020,” he said.
“Friday” was a commercial success back in 1995, grossing over $28 million worldwide. It was followed by the sequels “Next Friday” (2000) and “Friday After Next”(2002). As far as the fourth installment, Cube says he’s still “polishing” the script and “getting it right.”
“Once we get it right, we get the green light. Then we can cast it,” he added.
Elsewhere in his Complex interview, Ice Cube dishes about taking hisBIG3league to the next level and his hope the secureCarmelo Anthonyon a team.
Peep excerpts from the Q&A below.
What do you think the biggest draw for fans is to the BIG3?
The love of the game, it’s a unique basketball experience. You rarely get three games for the price of one ticket. It’s unique, half-court, how are they going to pull it off kind of feel. Then the basketball is great. It’s what you’re used to. It’s what you remember. That’s really to me what locks it all in is that it’s just as fun as any NBA game, but the basketball is real and it’s unique. You get to see star-studded arenas. Some of the best players that ever play, that’s including our coaches. It’s just a great experience. And its affordable. You really don’t have to break the bank to bring the family out to the game. I think all that contributes for people coming because you can see a friend on TV. When you come live and see it live, I believe you’re hooked.
For as much as you’ve done through your career, did you ever see yourself working in sports like this? Actually running a league?
No. I wanted to just be a fan. You know what I mean? I didn’t even think about having a team cause I feel like, if I get a team, or if I’m involved with a team, it’s going to take all the fun out of basketball. It’s going to be a business, it’s going to be a fan base that we have to keep happy. And shit don’t go right with the team, everybody going to be like, “Fuck you. Why the team ain’t right?” Something that could be cool turns into a burden, so I just wanted to be a fan. But owning a whole league is a whole different thing. It’s producing a whole movie instead of just playing a part. Playing a part is okay, but I like producing the whole movie. So a whole league is like producing a whole movie. And especially our teams are not connected to cities, it gives us the freedom to make everybody happy. Without pissing off Detroit, pissing of Cleveland, pissing of New York, or whatever. Go around, people pick their favorite players, their favorite teams, and roll with it. And the whole city ain’t coming down on you, if it don’t go right.
In January, you talked about Carmelo Anthony to the BIG3, but you said he’s got a future in the NBA. It’s now looking like he might not have a future in the NBA. Do you think Melo might become an option for the BIG3?
I don’t know. It depends on him. If he want to ball out at this level, then yeah. But if he think it’s a stigma behind it, you know what I’m saying like, “I’m playing in the BIG3, I’m done.” If he thinks that, then he probably won’t. And it’s not a stigma. BIG3 ain’t the end. It’s the beginning. It’s prolonging. The end is when the NBA said bye. You can have a whole another career in the BIG3 that might even be longer than your NBA career. If you keep your body in shape and you want to play, I love it. You can play at that level. Because it is a level. It ain’t just a cakewalk. So players got to make up that in they own mind and in they own hearts. I know we got something that’s dope, especially for the summer. And why wouldn’t you want to get down?
Any other big names on your radar that you’re looking to add going into the future? Obviously Melo is going to be one that comes up a lot.
Of course, I mean we got Vince Carter out there. You got Dwyane Wade. You got Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford, Monta Ellis.
Do you do the recruiting yourself? Or leave that to the teams?
I’ll make those calls with no problem, if it comes to that point. I let our commissioner engage. Chauncey Billups does a lot of reaching out for us. I like for players to hear from their basketball peers to see if they really want to play or not. I talked to Joe Johnson at the very end. I sent him a text to say I heard you were thinking about playing. I’ve Been badgering people for a year or two, like Gilbert Arenas, and he finally played. I don’t mind recruiting. I think I’m the best recruiter in the damn nation. I can get these dudes to sign. But I think the League should sell itself at a certain point. I don’t think I need to be trying to persuade people to play because it’s pro basketball, man. You got to be ready. You’re not going to have a good time, if you’re not ready.