Ice Cube is a legend. There’s no other way to put it. From N.W.A. to Friday, he’s basically the blueprint for the rapper-turned-mogul. But honestly? His latest career move has a lot of people scratching their heads.
If you’ve been looking for Ice Cube latest movie, you probably stumbled upon a title that sounds familiar but looks completely alien. It’s called War of the Worlds. No, not the Tom Cruise one with the giant tripods. And definitely not the Orson Welles radio play that made everyone think Jersey was being invaded.
Released in July 2025, this flick is a "screenlife" thriller. Basically, the whole movie happens on computer screens, FaceTime calls, and security feeds. Think Searching or Unfriended, but with extraterrestrials and Cube playing a DHS surveillance expert named Will Radford.
Why the Critics Hated It (And Why Some Fans Don't)
Let’s be real for a second. The reviews for this thing were brutal. Like, "4% on Rotten Tomatoes" brutal. Critics didn't just dislike it; they treated it like a personal insult.
The biggest gripe? Product placement. Some reviewers joked that the movie felt like an 89-minute Amazon Prime and Apple ad with an alien subplot.
But here’s the thing. If you’re a fan of Cube, you know he’s always been about the hustle. He filmed most of his scenes in isolation—some of it dating back to the 2020 lockdown—which is why you rarely see him in the same physical room as his co-stars, like Eva Longoria or Clark Gregg.
It’s a weird vibe. You’ve got Cube in a hoodie, staring at monitors, trying to find a hacker named "Disruptor" while meteors are literally hitting the Earth. It’s claustrophobic. It’s low-budget (under $10 million). And honestly, it’s kinda fascinating to watch him carry a whole movie while sitting in a chair.
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Is Last Friday Finally Happening in 2026?
While War of the Worlds is the movie you can watch right now, everyone is actually asking about the one that’s been in "development hell" for twenty years.
I’m talking about Last Friday.
For a long time, it felt like it was never going to happen. Cube was vocal about his frustrations with Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. There were rights issues, script disagreements, and the tragic passing of John Witherspoon (Pops), which felt like a nail in the coffin.
But things changed in 2025.
Warner Bros. brought in new leadership, specifically Mike De Luca, who worked with Cube back in the day on the original Friday. By April 2025, the deal was officially inked. Mike Epps even confirmed on The Breakfast Club that the script is moving and the "OGs" are coming back.
Here is what we actually know about the status of Last Friday heading into 2026:
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- Production Status: Shooting is rumored to begin in late 2026.
- The Cast: Ice Cube and Mike Epps are locks. There’s a massive push to get Chris Tucker back as Smokey, though that remains the biggest "maybe" in Hollywood history.
- The Vibe: Cube has said he wants to go back to the original neighborhood. No more "Next Friday" suburbs or "Friday After Next" strip malls. He wants that 1995 energy.
- The Tribute: The film will reportedly address the loss of John Witherspoon and Tiny Lister (Deebo) rather than recasting them, which is the only right way to do it.
The Dave Bautista Project That Almost Was
You might also see Cube’s name linked to The Killer's Game, which hit theaters in late 2024.
This is where things get confusing. Cube was originally signed on to co-star with Dave Bautista in this high-octane assassin comedy. He was going to play Bautista’s handler/friend.
However, due to some of the production delays that seem to follow Cube around, he ended up being replaced by Terry Crews. It’s a bummer, honestly. Seeing Cube and Bautista trade lines in a movie about a guy who accidentally puts a hit on himself would have been gold.
Instead, Cube focused his energy on his solo music (the Man Up album) and his BIG3 basketball league, which has basically become a full-time job for him.
What to Watch While You Wait
If you’re craving an Ice Cube fix and you’ve already seen War of the Worlds, there are a few things you should keep on your radar.
First, his voice acting. He’s been doing a lot more of it lately, including a standout performance as Superfly in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. There are rumors he might even show up in some capacity in the animated Spider-Verse world, though nothing is set in stone yet.
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Also, don't sleep on his music videos. The "Act My Age" video he dropped with Scarface recently is basically a mini-movie. Directed by DJ Pooh (the guy who co-wrote Friday), it’s got that classic comedic timing that we’ve been missing from Cube on the big screen.
How to Stay Updated on Ice Cube's Career
If you want the real scoop, stop looking at those AI-generated "concept trailers" on YouTube. You know the ones—they have titles like "LAST FRIDAY (2026) FIRST TRAILER" but the thumbnail is a weird Deepfake of Chris Tucker. Those are fake. Every single one of them.
Instead, follow the BIG3 news cycles. Cube often drops his biggest career updates during the halftime shows or in the post-game pressers.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the 2025 War of the Worlds on Prime Video: Even if the critics hated it, it’s a weird piece of film history and probably the only time you’ll see Ice Cube fight aliens through a MacBook.
- Ignore the "Concept Trailers": If you see a trailer for Last Friday that looks like a video game, it's AI. Official news will come from Cube’s Twitter (X) or the BIG3 website.
- Check out the "Act My Age" Music Video: It’s the closest thing to a new Friday scene we’ve had in years, and it features the same comedic DNA.
Ice Cube isn't retiring. He’s just pivotting. Whether he’s playing a DHS agent in a screenlife thriller or finally getting Craig and Day-Day back on the porch, he’s still the one calling the shots.