Mike Epps says ‘Boondocks’ creator Aaron McGruder is officially joining the ‘Last Friday’ movie writing team

Comedian and “Friday” franchise star Mike Epps spilled the beans about the cartoonist and cultural commentator lending his pen to the Last Friday script

Fans of the “Friday” franchise have been waiting years for good news, and Mike Epps just delivered it. Not only is the long-discussed fourth and final film officially in motion, but “The Boondocks” creator Aaron McGruder is now in the writers’ room for “Last Friday.”

Epps, who plays fan-favorite “Day-Day,” joined radio legend Big Boy on Friday (Nov. 6) to talk life, laughs, and legacy. In the middle of the conversation, he casually dropped a major update.

“I just was with Ice Cube, DJ Pooh, and Aaron McGruder, sitting in the room writing this movie,” he said. “We’re writing [a film] right now, and it’s gonna be crazy.”

McGruder’s involvement marks a major creative shift for the franchise. The cartoonist and cultural critic is best known for “The Boondocks,” the trailblazing comic strip he launched at the University of Maryland. The satire later became a hit animated series for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, running until June 2014 and developing a devoted following for its sharp commentary on race, politics, and culture.

Meanwhile, the road to “Last Friday” has been anything but smooth. The original “Friday ” debuted in 1995, followed by “Next Friday” (2000) and “Friday After Next” (2002). However, for years, Ice Cube has voiced his frustration with Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, noting that studio delays prevented the finale from being made. He has previously said that two completed scripts for “Last Friday” were rejected, adding to speculation that the project was stuck in limbo.

Earlier this year, however, confirmation came that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are finally moving the production forward.

With McGruder now seated at the table beside Cube, DJ Pooh, and Epps, the long-awaited project appears to have real momentum. During the interview, Epps also made sure to honor Cube’s place in the culture.

“Shouts out to Ice Cube, the Don Mega,” he said. “I always give Ice Cube his props, man, because not only did he walk me in the business, but he walked a lot of young brothers and sisters in the business.”