Director Malcolm D. Lee: 'Tyler Perry didn't help 'The Best Man Holiday' to get made'

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The Best Man Holiday director, Malcolm D. Lee, says his highly anticipated sequel to The Best Man would have happened with or without the help of Tyler Perry.

Over the past decade Tyler Perry, whose movies are aimed squarely at African-American audiences, have made a significant impact at the box office.

With the exception of Jumping the Broom, Think Like A Man and Just Wright, Perry has filled the unfailingly filled the void in Hollywood for black romantic comedies, with the arrival of his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman in 2005, followed by the likes of Madea’s Family Reunion, Daddy’s Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married? and Meet the Browns.

Arguably, Perry held the door open for films like The Best Man Holiday and Baggage Claim to come the theaters this year; however Best Man Holiday director Malcolm D. Lee begs to differ.

“I don’t know that Typer Perry’s success has anything to do with the success or the green-light-ability of The Best Man Holiday. His movies make money regardless. He has his own special brand of audience member that comes to see his movies.”

I would attribute the green-light-ability of The Best Man Holiday more to movies like Jumping The Broom and Think Like A Man than I would anything that Tyler Perry has made.

What do you think? Do you think Tyler Perry’s success in Hollywood has anything to do with the recent influx of films targeting African-American moviegoers?

Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC