Ice Cube’s Friday Is Dominating Free Streaming Ahead of New Sequel

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More than thirty years after it first came out in 1995, Ice Cube’s film is currently a huge hit on streaming platforms. Its popularity is growing alongside the release of a new sequel, and this comes just before the fifth film in the series is released.

According to FlixPatrol, the movie Friday is currently the most popular film on Tubi in the United States. Its sequel, Next Friday, is a close second. All three movies in the Friday series are available to stream for free on Tubi, so fans can watch them all back-to-back.

Friday Became a Cult Classic After Release

F. Gary Gray’s Friday follows Craig and Smokey, played by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, as their laid-back Friday takes a chaotic turn. They find themselves dealing with a drug dealer, played by Faizon Love, who’s trying to collect money, and a menacing neighborhood bully, Tiny Lister Jr. Despite being made on a small budget of under $4 million, the movie earned over $27 million and became a hugely popular comedy, gaining a dedicated fanbase and launching a film series.

Ice Cube reprised his role as Craig in the 2000 sequel, Next Friday, directed by Steve Carr. Mike Epps joined the cast as Craig’s cousin, Daymond “Day-Day” Jones, replacing Chris Tucker who didn’t return as Smokey. In this film, Craig moves from his old neighborhood to live with his wealthy uncle (Don “D.C.” Curry) in the suburbs, but quickly finds himself facing trouble with a new group of criminals called the Joker Brothers. The movie was a financial success, earning over $59 million globally on an $11 million budget.

Ice Cube and Mike Epps were back for the 2002 sequel, Friday After Next, alongside beloved characters like John Witherspoon as Craig’s dad, Willie. In this third installment, Craig and Day-Day take security jobs after a thief steals their Christmas presents and rent money. While the movie earned about $33 million on a $10 million budget, it wasn’t as popular with audiences or critics as the first two films.

Last Friday Is in Development

For years, Ice Cube has been trying to get a fourth Friday movie made, but it kept facing setbacks. Last year, things looked promising when a deal with New Line Cinema was reportedly reached. However, it’s still unclear if the movie will actually happen, and there’s no confirmed release date. Ice Cube is expected to reprise his role as Craig, but it’s uncertain whether other actors from the Friday series will return.

Cube spoke about the loss of some of the franchise’s stars, emphasizing that these were real people, not just characters. He specifically mentioned John Witherspoon, Tiny Lister, and AJ Johnson, and explained they wanted to acknowledge their passing while still creating a funny and enjoyable movie.

He explained that the show is really about the connections between people – those you enjoy spending time with and want to see how their lives are going. He envisions it like Star Wars, where characters can appear and disappear as the story needs, and it’s always possible to introduce new ones. Ultimately, it’s about checking in with a group of people and seeing what’s happening in their lives – just catching up with them.

Stream Friday, Next Friday, and Friday After Next for free on Tubi.

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2026-03-29 22:06