Mara Brock Akil wants to do a ‘Girlfriends’ movie—she just needs the funding

“I want to tell that story…do you know anybody who has $50 million?” Mara Brock Akil said, expressing her hopes to bring back “Girlfriends.”

By now, the cultural imprint of Mara Brock Akil’s storytelling is undeniable. Her latest series, “Forever,” had all of us in our feelings this past weekend (including this writer). But for fans of her earlier work, “Girlfriends,” “Love Is,” and “The Game,” there’s one question that never fades: Will we ever get a proper sendoff for the women of “Girlfriends”?

Apparently, Akil wants that just as much as we do.

In a recent sit-down on “Sherri,” Akil shared that she’s been trying to bring a “Girlfriends” movie to life

“I want to tell that story…I want to write the [“Girlfriends”] epic movie; I have tried to tell that story,” Akil admitted, before revealing that her biggest roadblock in moving forward with that project has been funding. 

“So I have a good idea for us right now,” she added. “Where’s your phone? Do you know anybody who has $50 million in your phone? Do we have five people who have $10 million? Do we have 10 million [people] who have five?” 

Considering how much viewers love Akil’s work, social media users were shocked to hear that the “Girlfriends” creator struggles to get funding for her projects. 

“With Mara Brock Akil’s resume, she shouldn’t have to beg for studios to invest in her stories. That’s crazy,” one user commented on TikTok. 

“If Sex and the City got two spinoff movies we can get Girlfriends ending, SOMEONE OPEN THEIR WALLET,” another user tweeted. 

While Shepherd joked about “passing the plate” to fund the film, she also emphasized how tough it is to get projects made in Hollywood, even for the most respected names in the game. “Girlfriends” premiered in 2000 and ran for eight seasons, giving us 172 episodes starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, Persia White, and Reggie Hayes. The show came to an abrupt halt in 2008 during the writers’ strike, leaving fans with way too many unanswered questions about Joan, Toni, Maya, Lynn, and William.

Still, Akil hasn’t lost hope. And she hasn’t lost gratitude for the fanbase that continues to ride for the story.

“I really want to thank the audience because you haven’t let it go and [I] thank you,” Akil added.