Under a multi-year, first-look arrangement, Tyler Perry has formalized a new creative partnership with Netflix to develop, direct, and produce feature films. The agreement covers eight films over four years.
Perry already has five films on Netflix: “A Fall From Grace,” “A Madea Homecoming,” the period drama “A Jazzman’s Blues” (produced from his first screenplay, written 27 years prior), the upcoming World War II-set drama “Six Triple Eight,” and the thriller “Mea Culpa.”
On October 11, Endeavor and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel teased the new agreement at Bloomberg Media’s Screentime conference. During the discussion, Emanuel stated that he had just signed deals with Netflix for David Ellison (the Skydance Animation move, which was announced last week) and Perry. When asked about the collaboration during his own Screentime interview, Perry remained tight-lipped.
“He talks too much,” Perry laughed, stressing that the agreement had not yet been disclosed. “I’ll wait until they announce it.” But, yes, both Netflix and Amazon have been fantastic partners to work with. It’s been absolutely fantastic, and that’s all I’ll say about it.”
Perry already has two projects in the works when the Netflix deal becomes public. “Six Triple Eight” is based on the true story of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during WWII.
Kerry Washington, producer and performer, leads an all-star cast that includes Oprah Winfrey, Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Dean Norris, and Scott Daniel Johnson.
Perry based the screenplay on an article by Kevin M. Hymel, which was published in WWII History Magazine by Sovereign Media and helped bring the story of the 6888th battalion to wider light.
“Mea Culpa,” starring and produced by Kelly Rowland, is about a criminal defense attorney who takes on the case of an artist who may or may not have murdered his fiancée in the hopes of becoming a partner. Trevante Rhodes, Sean Sagar, Nick Sagar, and RonReaco Lee also star in the thriller.
The multi-hyphenate creator’s new Netflix pact was signed separately from his four-picture arrangement with Amazon Studios, which was signed in 2022. The first two films under that deal have been announced by Amazon: “Black, White & Blue,” a police brutality drama, and “Divorce in the Black,” a drama about a broken marriage. Perry is also the subject of “Maxine’s Baby,” a documentary that follows his extraordinary climb from homeless writer to millionaire media entrepreneur. The documentary will have its international premiere at AFI Fest on Friday before being released on Prime Video on November 17.
Perry resurrected his most famous character, Mabel “Madea” Simmons, in 2021 for the comedy “A Madea Homecoming.”According to Nielsen, the gun-toting grandmother’s 12th film spent four weeks in Netflix’s global top ten and tallied more than 1 billion minutes watched in its first week of streaming.
“I was done with Madea, completely done with it,” Perry said Variety when he was named Showman of the Year for 2020.”But, as I’ve been thinking about the state of the world… and the amount of joy and laughter it brought to so many people, I think that’s what’s missing.” We require laughter and joy.”