“Nobody’s getting the chance to belly-laugh anymore,” says Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry and Madea

Credit : Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty; KC Bailey/Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection

Tyler Perry thinks the world needs a good laugh.

The writer/director reprises his role as Madea in the forthcoming Netflix movie A Madea Homecoming, streaming Feb. 25. The new entry in the franchise comes after Perry claimed he was done playing the part while promoting the 2019 installment, A Madea Family Funeral.

Perry, 52, told Entertainment Weekly he decided to revive the character after feeling the need for more comedies. He added that becoming Madea again was like “putting on gloves.”

“I was looking at the state of the world and how polarized it is… nobody’s laughing. Nobody’s getting the chance to belly-laugh anymore,” he said. “And I’m like, ‘What tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?’ “

According to EW, the new movie is about Madea’s great-grandson’s college graduation, which attracts family members to reunite and family secrets coming to light.

Perry revealed that A Madea Homecoming — the series’ 12th installment — features an LGBTQ storyline, explaining: “How long does it have to be before you understand something? Even if you don’t understand, be open. … I just think that if everything gets accepted in love, then you get a chance to see the person for who they are rather than what you think they are.”

When he announced the movie in June 2021, Perry said on social media, “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.”

During an interview on Bevy Smith’s SiriusXM show Bevelations in October 2018, Perry laughed about Madea as he said, “It’s time for me to kill that old b-, I’m tired, man! I’m tired.”

“I just don’t want to be her age playing her,” Perry said at the time, adding, “So we’re going to say goodbye to her.”

Perry currently stars in Netflix’s hit movie Don’t Look Up, which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Ariana Grande, Jonah Hill and more.

A Madea Homecoming debuts Feb. 25 on Netflix.