How
Will Tyler Perry’s Next Movie Fare at the Box
Office?
In the
wake of the success of “Think Like a Man” has the African
American audience grown tired of Tyler Perry. “Madea’s
Witness Protection” opens in June but how will the movie
fare in today’s market? In the last five years, African
American audiences have depended on a Tyler Perry movie
coming out of Hollywood to drive them to the movie
theaters. His studio had found a perfect vehicle to
entertain and market to a forgotten audience. Releasing
over twelve movies in seven years grossing more than five
hundred million at the box office. However, Tyler’s goal of
a $100 million dollar movie has yet to be attained. Today
the problem for him is a semi-backlash from African America
director Spike Lee who describes Tyler Perry’s work as
“coonery and buffoonery.” The statement started a host of
post on message boards from people who felt Tyler Perry
movies were targeted to the uneducated.
What does that have to do with “Think Like a Man” the Steve
Harvey movie that was able to catch the public’s attention
becoming the number one movie for two weeks and grossing
over $90 million dollars at the box office. The numbers may
show a shift of African American movie audiences to
relationship movies away from the family theme movies,
which has lead to Tyler Perry’s success. First week numbers
will tell most of the story. This will be a new experience
for Tyler Perry coming out after a hugely successful movie
like “Think Like a Man,” and during a summer blockbuster
season