TriStar Pictures is officially developing a sequel to the surprise comedy smash that brought together Keke Palmer, SZA, and producer Issa Rae in a hilariously chaotic race through South Los Angeles. And yes, Palmer and SZA are expected to reprise their roles, with the original creative dream team also returning for round two. Plot details? Still hush-hush.
Directed by Lawrence Lamont in his feature debut and penned by Rap Sh!t showrunner Syreeta Singleton, One of Them Days was that rare lightning-in-a-bottle hit: a smart, raunchy, heart-filled R-rated comedy that raked in over $50 million worldwide after its January release.
It didn’t stop there; it became a Netflix mainstay, spending three weeks in the streamer’s Top 10 and pulling in praise from both critics (94% on Rotten Tomatoes!) and fans alike.
The first film follows best friends and roommates Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), whose chaotic day spirals when Alyssa’s no-good boyfriend burns through their rent money the same day Dreux has an interview for her dream job.
Set in South L.A., the story blended the laid-back absurdity of “Friday” with a fresh, distinctly Gen Z flair and a killer supporting cast that included Lil Rel Howery, Janelle James, Maude Apatow, Katt Williams, and Gabrielle Dennis.
But the story behind the story? That’s where the magic really begins.
The film was born from the CoCre Lab, a unique incubator at Sony Pictures created in partnership with Issa Rae’s ColorCreative. The lab was designed to find and fund original scripts by diverse, emerging writers. Singleton’s screenplay, originally titled “The Jungles,” spent nearly seven years in development before it finally hit theatres.
“It’s something to be really proud of,” said Nicole Brown, president of TriStar Pictures. “A lot of studios want to create programs to find new writers and champion new voices, and a lot of those initiatives fizzled out.” But not this one. Brown described the CoCre Lab as “old-fashioned in the way of believing in writers, believing in talent… and saying, ‘Let’s keep building this relationship.’”
Sara Rastogi, who co-created the lab with Bryan Smiley, echoed the sentiment. “There’s a big difference between the person who gets to sit at the coffee shop and write, and the person who has to work at the coffee shop,” she said.
That’s why the program paid its writers during development, an essential ingredient to giving stories like Singleton’s the legs to reach the screen.
And speaking of Singleton, this journey was personal. She came up through ColorCreative’s very first writer initiative in 2014, then landed on Insecure, and eventually became showrunner on Rap Sh!t. When One of Them Days finally started moving, she called it “surreal.”
“Like, wow, they really let us shoot a movie in the Jungles,” Singleton recalled. “That’s crazy.”
What made this project different? Timing, risk, and a whole lot of faith. Palmer’s attachment gave it star power. Lamont’s vision gave it style.
And when SZA joined the cast, everything clicked. “We were just like, ‘Guys, we better put our heads down and get this going before someone adds up all the firsts,’” joked Talitha Watkins, president of ColorCreative. “You’ve got to be a thug to get a movie made in Hollywood. And we thugged this one out.”
Added producer Deniese Davis: “This is a miracle. It takes belief. They say, ‘The biggest risk in Hollywood usually comes out to the best successes.’ Everyone on this project was willing to take that risk.”
Now, TriStar’s betting on another win. Cameras are expected to roll soon, with an early 2026 release likely.
For Singleton, the sequel presents another opportunity to showcase South L.A. with heart, humour, and unapologetic Black joy. “My hope and prayer is, with a story like this and with the excitement around it, that it gets more studios excited to invest in these kinds of stories again,” she said. “I do have more stories to tell. I hope it gets a little easier every time.”
