No one else is making work like Tyler Perry. With a career spanning more than three decades, the director, writer, and actor has become known for an expansive creative library of shows, movies, and stage plays of all genres and varieties. From emotional thrillers and brash comedy to dramas that keep you on your toes, Perry has tackled it. 

As the Tyler Perry cinematic universe continues to grow, you’ll find that his stories remain familiar — the creator often explores elements of faith, family dynamics, and social issues, most often with strong Black women in the lead. In fact, many of his films revolve around the hilarious, outspoken, and fiercely loving Madea, a character beloved by many and inspired by Perry’s late mother Willie Maxine and his Aunt Mayola.

Whether you’re a longtime Perry fan or just discovering him, these eight movies and shows will give you a good laugh, a good cry, and some wisdom to carry with you on your way. 

A Jazzman's Blues

From the moment they meet as teenagers in the Deep South of the 1930s, Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer) and Bayou (Joshua Boone) share a special connection. What follows is a decades-long love affair between two young people who face pushback from their families, while also navigating the racist laws and social customs of the Jim Crow South. Leanne is a fair-skinned Black woman whose mother forces her to marry into a wealthy white family, and Bayou is a young jazz musician who eventually takes off to pursue his music in Chicago. The very first screenplay Perry ever wrote, nearly 30 years ago, A Jazzman’s Blues finally came to life in 2022 as a heartwrenching, genre-bending film that incorporates elements of musical, historical romance, and murder mystery.

A Jazzman's Blues

2h 8m   R   2022

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A Madea Homecoming

In Perry’s first Madea film in his creative partnership with Netflix, the matriarch arrives with some hilarious one-liners that’ll have you saying, “Madea!” Though Perry initially said goodbye to the character in 2019 with A Madea Family Funeral, he brought the icon — known for her tough love and no-nonsense personality — right back out of retirement when the world needed her most. A Madea Homecoming unites the whole family to celebrate Madea’s great-grandson Tim’s college graduation. And while there’s plenty of joy and excitement to go around at this get-together, it wouldn’t be a Simmons family reunion without a healthy dose of chaos. 

A Madea Homecoming

1h 47m   TV-MA   2022

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Beauty in Black

Beauty in Black follows two women from completely different worlds whose lives become entangled in a twist of fate. Kimmie (Taylor Polidore Williams) is an exotic dancer at a Chicago club who is struggling to make ends meet, while Mallory (Crystle Stewart) is the matriarch of a wealthy family who own a successful hair-care dynasty. From strip club scandals and a kidnapping scheme  to blackmail and murder, the show’s first season was overflowing with drama and ended with a shocking cliff-hanger that’s about to change everyone’s lives forever. You’ll want to catch up on all the drama before the series returns with Season 2 on Sept. 11. 

Beauty in Black

2 Seasons   TV-MA   2024

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Madea’s Destination Wedding

She’s back! Twenty years after Madea first appeared onscreen — and three years since her homecoming — the matriarch is ready for a vacation. When Madea’s nephew Brian (who looks an awful lot like Madea) and his ex-wife Debrah (Taja V. Simpson) learn of their daughter Tiffany’s (Diamond White) sudden engagement to a rapper she met on a yacht, the Simmons family has just two weeks to prepare for a last-minute wedding in the Bahamas. While most of the family tries to be suppportive, Madea has a few questions: What is Tiffany up to? What's the rush? And, most important of all, will there be an open bar? If you’re looking for a good laugh and some mischief, pack your bags and get your passports ready for Perry’s 13th Madea film.

Madea’s Destination Wedding

1h 44m   PG-13   2025

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Mea Culpa

In this steamy legal thriller, everyone has something to hide. Criminal defense attorney Mea Harper (Kelly Rowland) takes on the high-profile case of artist Zyair Malloy (Trevante Rhodes), who’s accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. Representing Zyair is not without its challenges — for one, Mea’s brother-in-law is the district attorney prosecuting the case in an attempt to bolster his tough-on-crime mayoral campaign. Plus, it’s impossible to deny the chemistry between Mea and her mysterious client. Though she’s unsure if she can trust Zyair, Mea knows she’s the most qualified attorney for the job, and she’s prepared to follow her instincts all the way to the truth. 

Mea Culpa

2h 0m   R   2024

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Miss Governor

Perry’s Netflix comedy series debut follows politician Antoinette Dunkerson (Terry J. Vaughn), after she becomes Mississippi’s first Black lieutenant governor, thus making history. However, once signed into office, she quickly realizes her new job may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Antoinette now has to find her footing working under a sexist boss who’s stuck in the past — and she’s also got to keep her zany family in check now that they’re in the public eye. No pressure! Find out how Antoinette forges ahead in Season 1, Part 1 of Miss Governor, and prepare to cast your ballot for Part 2, which drops on Aug. 14. 

Miss Governor

16 Episodes   TV-MA   2025

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STRAW

This emotional psychological thriller follows a struggling single mother to her breaking point. Janiyah’s (Taraji P. Henson) life revolves around caring for her sick daughter. But her whole world unravels when a series of hardships pile up one after the other, with little support or empathy from anyone around her. It’s no wonder she’s on her last straw. When the events of one terrible day culminate in a tense standoff with the police over a crime she never intended to commit, Janiyah’s life is now in the hands of the people around her, and she has no choice but to trust them. In its first month, the film spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Netflix Top 10 and quickly became a global hit.

STRAW

1h 47m   TV-MA   2025

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The Six Triple Eight

Kerry Washington leads this inspiring historical drama about the only Women’s Army Corps unit of color sent overseas during World War II. In early 1945, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion set out across the Atlantic on a very important mission. The battalion of 855 women would have six months to sort through (and prepare to deliver) a three-year backlog of more than 17 million pieces of mail addressed to US soldiers  fighting abroad and to their families back home. The women knew the task carried high stakes — both for the servicemen in need of a morale boost, and their families who hadn’t heard from them. With Major Charity Adams (Washington) in command, the Six Triple Eight battalion successfully completed their mission in just 90 days, bringing hope to those on the frontlines when they needed it most. 

The Six Triple Eight

2h 9m   PG-13   2024

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