The Ultimate Madea Movie List: Ranking All 13 Films (Including The New 2025 Release)

For two decades, Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons has been an undeniable cultural phenomenon, a hilarious, gun-toting, tough-talking matriarch who has dominated the box office and, more recently, streaming platforms. Created and portrayed by entertainment mogul Tyler Perry, the Madea franchise is a testament to the power of niche filmmaking, blending slapstick comedy with poignant family drama and social commentary. As of December 18, 2025, the list of Madea films stands at a whopping 13 theatrical and streaming releases, with the latest installment already creating buzz for its international setting and return of fan-favorite characters.

This comprehensive guide details every single Madea movie, from her humble 2005 debut to the highly anticipated 2025 Netflix film, giving you the full chronological list, box office highlights, and the essential recurring characters that make this cinematic universe tick. Get ready to say "Hallelu-yer!" as we dive into the complete filmography of the one and only Madea.

The Complete Madea Filmography: 13 Movies in Chronological Order

The Madea cinematic universe is a sprawling family saga, and while the films are generally standalone, following the release order is the best way to track the character's evolution and the recurring storylines of the Simmons and Baker families. Tyler Perry has consistently written, directed, and produced most of these films, often starring in multiple roles, including Madea, her brother Joe Simmons, and her son Brian Simmons.

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• 1. Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

  Release Date: February 25, 2005

  Synopsis: Madea's first on-screen appearance, though she is a supporting character. The film follows Helen McCarter (Kimberly Elise) as she rebuilds her life after her wealthy husband divorces her. Madea, along with her cousin Aunt Irma, provides the comic relief and tough love Helen needs.

• 2. Madea's Family Reunion (2006)

  Release Date: February 24, 2006

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  Synopsis: Madea is tasked with bringing her dysfunctional family together for a reunion while dealing with a troubled young woman placed in her care by the courts. This film cemented the franchise's formula of mixing comedy with heavy drama.

• 3. Meet the Browns (2008)

  Release Date: March 21, 2008

  Synopsis: Though Madea only makes a cameo appearance in this film, it introduces two of the franchise's most beloved recurring characters: Mr. Brown (David Mann) and his daughter Cora (Tamela J. Mann).

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• 4. Madea Goes to Jail (2009)

  Release Date: February 20, 2009

  Synopsis: A massive box office success, this film follows Madea after a series of traffic violations and brawls land her behind bars. The jail setting provides some of the most memorable and hilarious scenes in the entire franchise.

• 5. I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009)

  Release Date: September 11, 2009

  Synopsis: Madea's niece, April (Taraji P. Henson), is a singer who finds her life turned upside down when Madea brings her three troubled nephews and nieces to live with her.

• 6. Madea's Big Happy Family (2011)

  Release Date: April 22, 2011

  Synopsis: Madea tries to help her niece, Shirley (Loretta Devine), gather her grown children for a family dinner after Shirley receives devastating health news. The theme centers heavily on family dysfunction and reconciliation.

• 7. Madea's Witness Protection (2012)

  Release Date: June 29, 2012

  Synopsis: Madea is forced to shelter a Wall Street investment banker and his family in her home after they are placed in the witness protection program. This was the first Madea film released outside of the February/Spring window.

• 8. A Madea Christmas (2013)

  Release Date: December 13, 2013

  Synopsis: Madea is roped into helping a friend pay an unexpected visit to her daughter, who has moved to a small, rural town for the holidays. The film tackles themes of racism and cultural differences with Madea's signature bluntness.

• 9. Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

  Release Date: October 21, 2016

  Synopsis: A major shift in tone, this film sees Madea, Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis), and Mr. Brown trying to keep a group of teenagers out of trouble and away from a Halloween frat party. It became a surprise box office hit.

• 10. Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017)

  Release Date: October 20, 2017

  Synopsis: The sequel to the Halloween hit. Madea, Bam, and Brown venture to a haunted campground to save the same group of teens from a terrifying ghostly encounter.

• 11. A Madea Family Funeral (2019)

  Release Date: March 1, 2019

  Synopsis: Initially billed as the final installment, this film brings the family together for an unexpected funeral, leading to a host of secrets being revealed. Tyler Perry announced the retirement of the character after this film.

• 12. A Madea Homecoming (2022) - Netflix Original

  Release Date: February 25, 2022

  Synopsis: Madea comes out of retirement for her great-grandson's college graduation party, only for family secrets to threaten the celebration. This marked the franchise's successful pivot to the Netflix streaming platform.

• 13. Madea's Destination Wedding (2025) - Upcoming Netflix Original

  Release Date: July 11, 2025

  Synopsis: The latest confirmed installment sees Madea and her hilarious crew heading to the Bahamas for Tiffany's (Diamond White) destination wedding, promising a chaotic and sun-soaked adventure.

The Box Office Power of Madea vs. Critical Reception

The Madea franchise is a fascinating case study in Hollywood, consistently proving that audience demand can far outweigh critical consensus. Tyler Perry’s films have generated a massive and loyal following, particularly among African-American audiences, who appreciate the blend of faith, family values, and raw, uncensored humor. This dedicated fanbase has translated into phenomenal box office success, even as critics have often dismissed the films.

The total gross for the Madea theatrical films is well over half a billion dollars, a staggering figure for a franchise with relatively modest production budgets. This commercial success highlights a significant disconnect between critics (who often give the films low scores on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes) and the general audience (who often give the same films high audience scores).

Top 3 Highest-Grossing Madea Movies (Domestic Box Office):

• 1. Madea Goes to Jail (2009): Over $90.5 million.
• 2. A Madea Family Funeral (2019): Over $73.2 million.
• 3. Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016): Over $73.2 million.

The financial performance of films like *Madea Goes to Jail* and the two *Boo!* films showcases the franchise's peak popularity and its ability to dominate its opening weekends, often crushing bigger-budget competition. The franchise’s move to Netflix with *A Madea Homecoming* (2022) and the upcoming *Madea's Destination Wedding* (2025) reflects a modern strategy to tap into the massive global streaming market, guaranteeing Perry a massive audience without the pressure of theatrical box office numbers.

The Madea Cinematic Universe: Key Recurring Entities

What gives the Madea movies their unique flavor and topical authority is the ensemble cast of recurring characters, often portrayed by the same talented actors. These characters, who are effectively LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords for the franchise, provide continuity, comic relief, and emotional anchor points across the films.

Tyler Perry’s Triple Threat:

• Mabel "Madea" Simmons: The central, cross-dressing character. She is a tough, street-smart elderly African-American woman known for her unconventional justice and catchphrase "Hallelu-yer!"
• Joe Simmons: Madea's foul-mouthed, perverted, and hilariously inappropriate brother. He is often seen sitting on the couch making lewd comments.
• Brian Simmons: Madea's son, a lawyer who often serves as the moral compass and voice of reason, constantly trying to keep his mother and uncle out of trouble.

The Comedy Trio:

The dynamic between Madea and the following two characters is the source of much of the franchise's biggest laughs, especially in the later films like the *Boo!* series and the Netflix specials.

• Mr. Brown (David Mann): Known for his high-pitched voice, gullibility, and ridiculously naive personality. He is Cora's father and Madea's former neighbor. His constant misunderstandings with Madea and Joe are a comedic highlight.
• Cora Simmons (Tamela J. Mann): Mr. Brown's daughter and Madea's daughter. She is a deeply religious, kind-hearted woman who often tries to mediate between the family's chaotic members.
• Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis): Madea's cousin and best friend. She is a loud, blunt, and often marijuana-smoking elderly woman who provides an extra layer of irreverent humor. Her inclusion in the later films, starting with *Madea's Big Happy Family*, was a major boost to the ensemble.

The Future of the Franchise: Madea's Destination Wedding (2025)

The announcement of *Madea's Destination Wedding* confirmed that Tyler Perry's "retirement" of the character after *A Madea Family Funeral* (2019) was short-lived, much to the delight of her fans. The 2022 release, *A Madea Homecoming*, proved the character's enduring relevance and streaming appeal, leading directly to the 2025 sequel.

Set for release on Netflix on July 11, 2025, the film promises a fresh setting as Madea and the entire Simmons/Brown clan travel to the Bahamas. The plot will center on the wedding of Tiffany (Diamond White), who was the central teenage character in the *Boo!* movies. The shift to a tropical destination wedding—a classic comedy setup—is expected to amplify the fish-out-of-water humor as Madea and Mr. Brown navigate international travel and a luxury resort environment.

With the return of the entire core ensemble—Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, David Mann, and Tamela J. Mann—the new film is poised to deliver the same blend of family chaos, moral lessons, and uproarious comedy that has sustained the Madea franchise for over two decades. *Madea's Destination Wedding* is not just a new movie; it’s a confirmation that the iconic character remains one of the most bankable and beloved figures in modern American cinema.