Netflix believes in the power of faith-based film… and in the power of Tyler Perry.
Netflix has extended its creative deal with mega-producer Tyler Perry, in which he’s meant to write, direct, and produce films and series for the streamer, to now include faith-based movies. Perry and Netflix as part of the deal will recruit one of the original hit makers in the current wave of faith-based movies, DeVon Franklin (“Miracles from Heaven”).
Together, Franklin and Perry will produce several faith-based films for Netflix as part of a new multiyear and multi-picture first-look film deal, Netflix announced on May 6.
The first project under the deal will be “R&B,” a modern-day retelling of the story of Ruth and Boaz, one of the Bible’s iconic love stories. Set in Tennessee, “R&B” tells the story of a young woman who escapes the Atlanta music scene to care for an elderly widowed woman and in the process finds the love of her life and gains the mother she never had.
Mike Elliott (“Brown Sugar”) and Cory Tynan (“Play’d”) are writing the film. “R&B” and other films under the deal will be produced jointly by Franklin and Perry in conjunction with Tyler Perry Studios.
“I’m so excited to be working with DeVon on this and future projects,” Perry said. “I think in this polarizing world, and at a time where the world seems to be growing colder everyday, we both share the common goal of wanting to spread some good. And there’s no better place than Netflix.”
“Tyler and I have been great friends for over 15 years, so when he called me to team up on movies that can uplift the human spirit, I jumped at the chance and we couldn’t have a better partner than Netflix to help us inspire the world,” Franklin said.
“We couldn’t be more excited to expand our relationship with Tyler Perry Studios. Tyler and DeVon have created some of the most inspiring movies in the faith-based space, so they are perfect partners to help us bring even more of these stories to our members,” said Niija Kuykendall, Vice President of Netflix Film.
Netflix has already dipped its toes into the faith-based pond, including recently with its “Moses” docuseries, and Netflix under film chief Dan Lin recently restructured its film team to have Kuykendall leading the charge on any faith-based titles.
Perry recently made “A Jazzman’s Blues” for Netflix and is also coming off the 12th “Madea” film, “A Madea Homecoming.” Upcoming for Netflix he has “The Six Triple Eight” starring Kerry Washington and the series “Beauty in Black.”
Franklin meanwhile is best known for producing the $74 million box office hit “Miracles From Heaven” from 2016 starring Jennifer Garner, and he recently produced the Eva Longoria film “Flamin’ Hot” and appeared as an actor in last year’s faith-based hit “Jesus Revolution.”
Tynan and Elliott are also writing a faith-based romantic comedy for Amazon Studios called “Relationship Goals” that Franklin is also producing.
Perry is represented by WME and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Franklin is represented by WME, Artist Collective, and John Meigs at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox. Tynan & Elliot are represented by Ryan Saul and Corey Ackerman at Cartel, and Adam Cooper at Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.
