Tyler Perry Launches Maxscene, a New Theatrical Label Named After His Mother
Tyler Perry has launched a new specialty division of Tyler Perry Studios called Maxscene, dedicated to expanding theatrical opportunities for filmmakers with what the company describes as "distinctive voices" (Variety).
The name is personal. Perry said Maxscene is named in honour of his mother, Maxine, and is intended to be a source of belief for the next generation of storytellers (Variety). For a producer who has built an empire on writing, directing and financing his own work outside the traditional studio system, the gesture carries a clear thread: the new label is about opening doors for other filmmakers to get their work onto cinema screens.
Running the division day-to-day is Antoinetta Stallings, currently Head of Development and Acquisitions at Tyler Perry Studios. Before stepping into that role, Stallings served as VP of unscripted programming at the studio, where she launched its joint venture with Pantheon Media Group (Variety).
Tyler Perry Studios, founded by Perry and headquartered in Atlanta, has produced dozens of feature films and thousands of hours of television (Variety). The studio's Atlanta lot spans 330 acres across 40 buildings, making it one of the largest production facilities in the United States (Our Weekly). The facility opened in 2019 on the site of the former Fort McPherson army base.
The studio has been steadily building its roster of creative talent. In October 2024, Tyler Perry Studios signed an overall deal — a multi-year agreement that commits a writer or director to develop projects exclusively for the studio — with Courtney Glaude, known for the film The Reading (Deadline).
Maxscene's launch comes as theatrical distribution — getting a film into cinemas rather than onto a streaming platform directly — has become an increasingly contested space for independent and mid-budget filmmakers. Perry's studio, with its own soundstages, post-production facilities and distribution relationships through Netflix, BET and other partners, is positioned to greenlight and produce films in-house.
What makes Maxscene stand out is its focus on theatrical specifically. Perry's recent output has leaned heavily on streaming and television; a label devoted to cinema releases signals a deliberate shift back to the big screen for at least one corner of his operation.
No specific projects, release dates or slate sizes for Maxscene have been announced. The division is operational as of 26 August 2026.
