Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin to Produce Faith-Based Films at Netflix, Set Bible-Inspired Love Story 'R&B' as First Title
Variety reports that Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin (“Flamin’ Hot,” “Miracles From Heaven”) are teaming up to produce faith-based films under a multi-year and multi-picture first-look deal at Netflix.
The films will be produced by the duo in conjunction with Tyler Perry Studios in the latest expansion of Perry’s creative partnership at Netflix, inked as a first-look film deal in October 2023 and has broadened to include scripted and unscripted TV projects.
“I’m so excited to be working with DeVon on this and future projects,” said Perry in a statement announcing the partnership. “I think in this polarizing world, and at a time where the world seems to be growing colder everyday, we both share the common goal of wanting to spread some good. And there’s no better place than Netflix.”
Added Franklin, “Tyler and I have been great friends for over 15 years, so when he called me to team up on movies that can uplift the human spirit, I jumped at the chance and we couldn’t have a better partner than Netflix to help us inspire the world.”
The first film under the new deal will be “R&B,” written by Mike Elliott (“Brown Sugar,” “Just Wright,” “Like Mike”) and Cory Tynan (“Play’d: A Hip Hop Story”). The project is a modern-day retelling of Ruth and Boaz, one of the most iconic love stories in the Bible. According to its official synopsis, the film is set in Tennessee and centers on a young woman who “escapes the Atlanta music scene to care for an elderly widowed woman and in the process finds the love of her life and gains the mother she never had.”
“Tyler and DeVon have created some of the most inspiring movies in the faith-based space, so they are perfect partners to help us bring even more of these stories to our members,” stated Netflix VP of film Niija Kuykendall.