‘Peeples’ Producer Tyler Perry Back in Business With Lionsgate

Tina Gordon Chism (“ATL”) is in final negotiations to direct from a script that she also wrote

Filmmaker Tyler Perry is back in business with Lionsgate, as the studio has confirmed to TheWrap that it will distribute Perry's latest production, creatively titled "We the Peeples."

Tina Gordon Chism, the writer of "Drumline" and "ATL," is in final negotiations to direct from a script that she also wrote.

The story follows a young man who endures a hellish weekend when he decides to surprise his girlfriend by showing up to meet her parents during the family's annual end of summer celebration.

Perry will produce through his company 34th Street Films, whose Matt Moore will also produce alongside Tyler Perry Studios president Ozzie Areu, Paul Hall and Stephanie Allain.

Lionsgate's Michael Paseornek will oversee the movie's development and production for the studio.

WME packaged the project, which will begin production in September. The cast will be announced shortly.

Lionsgate has already set release dates for two of Perry's upcoming pictures. The studio will unveil Perry's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" on January 14. It will be Perry's first film to be based on non-original source material.

Following that, Perry will reprise his beloved Madea character in "Madea's Big Happy Family," which is set to open on April 22. The multi-talented Perry is also writing, directing and producing that project.

Perry's "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" grossed $50 million in 2005, and last year's "Madea Goes to Jail" took in $90 million, so that character isn't going away anytime soon. Perry has also found box office success outside of the "Madea" franchise, as "Why Did I Get Married Too" earned more than $60 million this spring.

Perry was recently a co-presenter and exec producer on Lee Daniels' Oscar-winning drama "Precious."

34th Street and Chism Gordon are represented by WME.

Comments