Tyler Perry‘s long-awaited return as gun and Bible-toting matriarch Madea is right around the corner, and the entertainment mogul opened up about why now was the perfect time to bring her out of retirement.
The Madea creator and portayer retired his much-loved character in 2019 with the release of “A Madea Family Funeral” and his “Madea’s Farewell” stage play tour, but he was inspired to dust off the wig and dress for “A Madea Homecoming” thanks to the current melancholy state that the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the world into.
“I was looking at the state of the world and how polarized it is … nobody’s laughing,” Perry told “Entertainment Weekly,” which also received a first look at images from the upcoming film. “Nobody’s getting the chance to belly-laugh anymore. And I’m like, ‘What tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?'”
The “Don’t Look Up” actor revealed that he had a new Madea project in the works in an Instagram video he shared with followers in June 2021. “Madea’s coming to Netflix. We need to laugh, man, too much is going on in the country. We need to laugh, so, I was done, but she’s coming back. Madea on Netflix. I can’t wait,” he said while interjecting throughout as Madea.
The latest addition to the collection, which Perry wrote and directed, reportedly will follow “Madea’s great-grandson’s college graduation, but hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the happy homecoming.” Fans of the film franchise can look forward to seeing the return of favorites including Tamela J. Mann, David Mann, Cassi Davis, Brandon Black, and Isha Blaaker in the upcoming 12th installment.
Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Homecoming” heads to Netflix on Feb. 25.
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