Ahead of Netflix’s release, A Madea Homecoming, director, writer and producer Tyler Perry has explained why he’s decided to revive the beloved character Madea again. The 12th installment of the franchise is set to premiere on the streaming platform next month, succeeding Perry’s separation from Lionsgate. The upcoming film will continue Perry’s collaboration with Netflix, following the release of his previous thriller film A Fall From Grace.

A Madea Homecoming follows the 2019 film, A Madea Family Funeral, the 11th in the Madea series. It centers on Madea’s great-grandson’s college graduation as hidden secrets and family drama threaten to jeopardize the anticipated homecoming. Alongside the return of Madea, Cora (Tamela Mann), Mr. Brown (David Mann), and Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis Patton) are slated to return in the upcoming film. Previously, Perry also announced Showtime’s development of a drama prequel series about the early life of Madea in a series titled Mabel.

Related: How A Madea Family Funeral Ended The Franchise

In an interview with EW, Perry shared his reasons for returning to play the renowned grandmother in the upcoming film, A Madea Homecoming. With the global spread of polarization in today’s media sphere and politics, Perry believes that many are losing the opportunities to “belly-laugh.” Thus, Perry shared his optimism in wanting to devote himself to bringing back laughter through his adroit means of storytelling. Read Perry’s full quote below:

"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. And I'm like, what tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?" 

Tyler Perry as Madea.

Before the announcement of Perry’s return as Madea in A Madea Homecoming, the multi-hyphenate media mogul had disclosed his retirement from playing the titular character while promoting A Madea Family Funeral. After the 2019 film was announced, many fans had speculated that Perry would retire the beloved character with her death. However, Perry had left the ending open, allowing room for Madea’s return and making it possible for her re-entry in A Madea Homecoming. Along with reviving the iconic character, Perry has recently shared that his new Madea film will encompass an LGBTQ+ storyline, seeking to bring more inclusion for the audiences.

There is still minimal information as to whether Perry will continue to play Madea on Netflix, or anywhere else besides the prequel series. However, it may be possible for future renditions of the Madea franchise if the upcoming film were to demonstrate its success on the streaming platform. Given how the franchise ran for over two decades and continues to share a strong fanbase, the possibility of the film to catapult on the streaming platform remains attainable. For now, fans can tune in for the premiere of A Madea Homecoming when it debuts on Netflix next month to get the "belly-laugh" they need.

More: Madea's Big Happy Family Is The Most Underrated Of The Franchise

Source: EW