Mike Epps has finally given fans a reason to believe that the Friday saga is truly headed toward its long promised conclusion, and the announcement came on a platform that knows how to draw real conversation.
Appearing on Club Shay Shay, Epps revealed that Last Friday is actively in development and is expected to arrive in 2026, putting fresh momentum behind a franchise that has lived in cultural memory for decades. Speaking candidly, Epps made it clear that this is not speculation or wishful thinking. The work is already underway.
“I just sat with me, Ice Cube, Aaron McGruder and DJ Pooh just sat in a room and we’ve been writing it,” Epps said. “It’s going to be off the hook.”
That lineup alone explains why the announcement immediately resonated. Ice Cube returning to the writing process restores the original voice and vision of the franchise. Aaron McGruder’s involvement hints at sharper commentary and cultural awareness, while DJ Pooh’s presence ensures continuity with the series’ roots. For fans who have waited years for alignment behind the scenes, this was the confirmation they needed.
The Friday franchise has long outgrown the screen. From the original Friday to Next Friday and Friday After Next, the films became generational reference points, quoted daily and replayed endlessly. Yet the absence of a final chapter always felt unfinished. Mike Epps, whose portrayal of Day Day helped carry the later films, has consistently expressed the importance of closing the story the right way.
By choosing Club Shay Shay to share the update, Epps framed the moment with honesty rather than hype. The setting mattered. It felt like a conversation, not a press release. That tone reinforced the idea that Last Friday is being approached with care, patience, and respect for what the franchise represents.
A 2026 target gives the creative team the space to get it right. In an era filled with rushed reboots and hollow nostalgia plays, Friday deserves more than a quick turnaround. It deserves intention.
If the energy from that writing room carries over, Last Friday has the chance to be more than a sequel. It can be a proper farewell, grounded in the humor, truth, and community that made Friday timeless in the first place.
For the first time in a long time, fans are not just hoping. They are listening. And this time, it sounds real.