After announcing that he no longer had plans to portray Madea, fans of the loud-mouthed, gun-toting character were disappointed. Tyler Perry has created a billion-dollar empire out of his most famous character, but in recent years, he has spoken openly about hanging up his dress and letting the chips fall where they may. However, Madea fans received a bit of hope of seeing her on-screen once again after reports surfaced that Perry plans on penning a prequel about the life of Mabel Simmons.
Variety reports that Perry has partnered with Showtime for a project simply titled “Mabel.” The outlet states, “Per the official description of the project, long before she was the force of nature known as Madea she was a smart, fierce, irresistible, dangerous, crazy 20-something black woman named Mabel Simmons. When she moved to Atlanta in 1972 she set the city – and the world – on fire.”
“Multiple scripts” have reportedly been ordered from Showtime. Movies with Madea as a central character have helped Perry and Co. earn $500 million worldwide. This doesn’t include the other films, plays, and shows to be birthed out of Tyler Perry Studios. Would you watch this series? Who do you think should star as the title character? It will be interesting to see if a male actor continues the Madea legacy.
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