Writer, director, producer and billionaire media mogul Tyler Perry is continuing to extend his reach in Hollywood.
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On Monday, it was announced that he and Amazon Studios have entered into a four-film deal together. The new agreement is as simple as it sounds, which means Perry will be responsible for writing, producing, and directing four all-new films for the streaming platform Prime Video, according to Variety.
“I’m excited and grateful to start working with Amazon Studios to bring movies to Prime Video,” said Perry in a statement. “Jennifer Salke and the entire team have welcomed me with open arms. I’m looking forward to continuing to tell unique stories and bringing my next projects to the global audiences that they reach.”
Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke expressed similar sentiments, adding: “Tyler Perry is undeniably one of the most prolific creators of our time. He is a true multihyphenate who has defined his own incredible brand of storytelling and inspired people all over the world with his series and films. We are excited to collaborate with Tyler and his teams to bring even more of his fantastic signature films to our global audiences.”
Additionally, in a recent interview with the LA Times, Perry discussed his feeling about the now infamous Will Smith/Chris Rock Oscars slap that took place earlier this year. Perry explained that the temperature check among influential folks in Hollywood—and Black Hollywood, to be specific—is mild when it comes to how folks feel about Smith. But he also explained that it’s still dependent on just how Rock will respond.
“I’m hopeful that there will be some forward movement, but I really don’t think that will happen until Chris says something, and until he talks about how he felt,” Perry said. “And that’s totally his decision when to, or not to. But I don’t think things will change on the Hollywood side until Chris starts to talk.”
Perry later added: “There’s also those conversations within Hollywood with people who are not Black where there are Black people sitting at the table, and they say they don’t understand how Black people can be giving him standing ovations. But you have to understand our history—the Black community is very open and very forgiving when something happens. We galvanize together and try to give grace and understanding.”
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