Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced that 35 film projects, including the long-awaited next installment in Ice Cube’s “Friday” franchise, are receiving credits in the latest round of awards from the expanded California Film Commission’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program.

Twenty-eight of the 35 projects are independent productions, including 20 with budgets under $10 million, and state officials say the selections show “that California is uniquely tailored to support grassroots creativity.”

“What makes this latest round so exciting is the mix of independent filmmaking and iconic stories that are part of California’s cultural legacy,” California Film Commission Director Colleen Bell said. “From an emerging filmmaker bringing an ambitious new vision to life to the return of beloved franchises like ‘Last Friday,’ ‘Clueless’ and ‘The Rockford Files,’ these are stories with deep roots in California. Through our tax credit program, we’re helping bring these stories to the screen while keeping the jobs, investment, and production that bring them to life right here in California.”

The recipients include the following projects:

— “Last Friday” (New Line Cinema)

— “Michael 2” (working title) (Lionsgate)

— Untitled Paramount Crime Thriller (Paramount Pictures)

— “Leaves of Glass” (Pinstripes Studios)

— “Pure” (The Space Program)

— Untitled Mike Mills Film

— American Wolf (Sweet Humans Productions)

— Additional projects from Warner Bros. Studios and Pixar

“I’m thrilled to produce ‘Last Friday’ right here in Southern California, where our cast and crew lives,” said Ice Cube, the star, writer and producer of the upcoming film. “This story has been part of the fabric of South Los Angeles since our first film 31 years ago so producing the film here with more than 180 local cast and crew underscores the value of the California production incentive program. We’re thankful for the opportunity to stay local.”

Victoria Alonso and Tom Culliver, producers of “Leaves of Glass,” said their film was “set in the Chicano communities of Los Angeles, and it simply wouldn’t exist if we couldn’t shoot here. We are incredibly excited to showcase a side of Los Angeles rarely seen on camera, and work with the greatest crews in the world. We are deeply grateful to the California Film Commission for making this film possible.”

According to Newsom’s office, the expanded tax credit program has generated $7.2 billion in California production spending since July 2025 via 179 different projects.

Officials with the governor’s office said the 35 projects will deliver meaningful economic benefits for California, including $1.08 billion in direct production spending, $635 million in qualified spending (inclusive of qualified wages), $423 million in qualified wages, 5,453 cast and crew jobs, 24,842 background performers measured in days worked, and 1,049 total California shooting days.

Newsom’s announcement comes one day after Los Angeles-area members of Congress and entertainment industry unions called for passage of legislation that would create a federal tax credit for film and television productions made in the United States.

The governor also signed a bill last month that creates a first-of-its kind tax credit to support entertainment workers in all areas of post-production.