Tyler Perry Signs 4-Picture Deal With Amazon Studios

thewrap.com:

Tyler Perry is going to Amazon Prime Video. The film division led by Jennifer Salke has notched a deal with the Atlanta-based entertainment mogul that will see him produce, write and direct four features for worldwide distribution on Prime Video. “I’m excited and grateful to start working with Amazon Studios to bring movies to Prime Video,” said Perry in a statement. “Jennifer Salke and the entire team have welcomed me with open arms, and I’m looking forward to continuing telling unique stories and bringing my next projects to the global audiences that they reach.”Perry broke out in Hollywood in 2005 with the surprise smash “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” The adaptation of his self-penned stage play introduced filmgoing audiences to Madea, the fast-talking, zero-shit-taking atheist grandmother played (in a supporting role) by Perry himself.

The film earned $50.6 million domestic from a $5.5 million budget, kicking off several years of commercially profitable features (“I Can Do Bad All By Myself,” “Meet the Browns,” “Madea’s Family Reunion,” “Why Did I Get Married?” and more).

It also made Tyler Perry Productions one of the most reliable brands in the mid-2000s for Lionsgate, his studio home for 20 feature films.While Perry has never really been able to successfully “retire” the marquee character — “Madea’s Family Reunion” begat “Boo!: A Madea Halloween” begat “A Madea Funeral” begat “A Madea Homecoming” — he has alternated a dozen Madea-specific features with non-Madea melodramas like “The Family That Preys,” “Good Deeds” and the recent Netflix drama “A Jazzman’s Blues.” His 25 directorial features (not counting “Diary Of A Mad Black Woman” which he wrote but did not direct) have earned over $1 billion worldwide.Along.