Another day, another Tyler Perry film announcement. Like he drops films like influencers drop story posts. The star-studded cast has been unveiled for Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin’s upcoming faith-based film, R&B. The project, which brings together an impressive ensemble, includes Serayah, Tyler Lepley, Phylicia Rashad, Walnette Santiago, Nijah Brenea, James Lee Thomas, Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri, and Lecrae Moore.
As first reported by Deadline, R&B will be directed by Alanna Brown, with a screenplay penned by Michael Elliot and Cory Tynan. R&B is described as a modern retelling of the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz, with a contemporary twist. Set in Tennessee, the narrative follows a young woman who leaves behind the bustling Atlanta music scene to care for an elderly widow. In this unexpected chapter of her life, she discovers love and a maternal bond she never experienced.
Get this: the film marks the first of several projects under the multi-year, multi-picture first-look deal that Perry and Franklin inked with Netflix earlier in 2023. Perry expressed his excitement about this collaboration, saying:
“I’m so excited to be working with DeVon on this and future projects. I think in this polarizing world, and at a time where the world seems to be growing colder every day, we both share the common goal of wanting to spread some good. And there’s no better place than Netflix.”
As expected, Perry and Franklin serve as producers on R&B, with Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, and Bart Lipton executive-producing the film. This collab follows Perry’s ambitious work with Netflix, where he has two other highly anticipated projects: The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington, and the series Beauty in Black.
Moreover, with R&B, Perry and Franklin aim to deliver a heartfelt, inspiring story that reflects their shared vision of creating meaningful content during challenging times.