All 13 Movies Featuring Tyler Perry's Madea in Order (2024)

Madea is a fictional character created and portrayed by Tyler Perry. Madea, whose full name is Mabel “Madea” Simmons, is a tough, no-nonsense, elderly African-American woman. Tyler Perry often dresses in drag to play the character, and Madea has become a central figure in many of Perry’s stage plays, films, and television shows.

Madea is known for her sharp tongue, comical wisdom, and unconventional ways of dealing with challenges, and the character has gained such fame that Madea currently appears in 13 films and almost as many stage plays. Since Madea’s name has quite a few appearances across Perry’s works, we decided to bring you this comprehensive guide on how to watch them.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in November 2023 with the latest news regarding Madea Cinematic Universe (MCU).

All 13 movies featuring Madea in release date order

The first installment in Madea’s solo film franchise was ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ released in 2005, it was actually an adaptation of a stage play of the same name. Despite the popularity of the play, the movie was mostly negatively received with critics calling out the movie for failing to transition effectively to the screen due to a lack of consistent tone. Despite that first failed entourage into cinematic waters in the next 17 years Made will be featured in 12 more movies. Here’s the release date order:

1. ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ (2005)
2. ‘Madea’s Family Reunion’ (2006)
3. ‘Meet the Browns’ (2008)
4. ‘Madea Goes to Jail’ (2009)
5. ‘I Can Do Bad All by Myself’ (2009)
6. ‘Madea’s Big Happy Family’ (2011)
7. ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ (2012)
8. ‘A Madea Christmas’ (2013)
9. ‘Madea’s Tough Love’ 2015 – Animated Movie
10. ‘Boo! A Madea Halloween’ (2016)
11. ‘Boo 2! A Madea Halloween’ (2017)
12. ‘A Madea Family Funeral’ (2019)
13. ‘A Madea Homecoming’ (2022)

Are all movies featuring Madea connected? What’s the best way to watch them in?

Many movies that feature Madea are connected in the “Madea Cinematic Universe” – MCU. In these films, Madea interacts with recurring characters and often finds herself in humorous and dramatic situations. Examples of connected movies are ‘Diary of Mad Black Woman’ and ‘Madea’s Family Reunion’ which are generally considered to be sequels, just like Madea’s Halloween-themed movies. Most of the movies are standalone and can be watched in whatever order you like to watch them in, although if you’re up to re-watching the entirety of MCU, release date order is always recommended.

All movies featuring Madea in chronological order

Considering that some of Madea’s movies are considered to be sequels, there is some loose chronology that you can follow. Let’s explain.

1. ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ (2005)

The first entry in Madea Cinematic Universe is ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman.’ Helen Simmons-McCarter discovers her husband Charles is leaving her for his mistress on their 18th wedding anniversary, finding her belongings in a U-Haul. Seeking refuge with her formidable grandmother, Madea, Helen receives support as she faces legal troubles for breaking into and vandalizing her marital home. Madea’s antics lead to a house arrest order, and Helen is set a $5,000 bond by Judge Mablean Ephriam in a turbulent turn of events.

2. ‘Madea’s Family Reunion’ (2006)

‘Madea’s Family Reunion’ is a direct sequel to ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman.’ After violating house arrest, Madea is given a chance to avoid jail by taking in a rebellious foster child named Nikki, who initially clashes with Madea due to her troubled past. Madea encourages Nikki to overcome her challenges and, with consistent support, Nikki gradually reforms her behavior under Madea’s guidance.

3. ‘Meet the Browns’ (2008)

Struggling single mother Brenda Brown-Davis faces financial difficulties in Chicago when she learns of her estranged father’s death in Georgia. Compounding her challenges, the plant where she works relocates to Mexico, and her daycare supervisor quits due to unpaid wages, intensifying Brenda’s hardships. Madea has only a came appearance here, but the movie is important for the next installment.

4. ‘Madea Goes to Jail’ (2009)

A high-speed police chase (seen in ‘Meet the Browns’) leads to Madea’s arrest, but her release is secured when it’s revealed that the police failed to read her Miranda warning. Judge Ephriam, unable to imprison Madea, imposes a suspended driver’s license suspension and orders her to attend anger management. Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Hardaway, who is acquainted with a young prostitute and drug addict named Candy, asks his fiancée Linda to prosecute the case before Judge Ephriam.

5. ‘I Can Do Bad All by Myself’ (2009)

The film begins with April, a self-centered alcoholic singer, performing at Club Indigo. Meanwhile, Madea and Joe discover three children breaking into their house, and after learning about their difficult situation, Madea offers them a warm welcome, discovering that their only living relative is their aunt, April. This is a standalone movie and can be watched out of order.

6. ‘Madea’s Big Happy Family’ (2011)

Madea’s niece, Shirley, learns from Dr. Evans that her cancer has worsened, prompting her to gather her children for a dinner where she reveals the severity of her condition. Simultaneously, at the hospital, Cora Simmons and her father, Leroy Brown, face health concerns, and Madea’s encounter at a restaurant with the frustrating manager Sabrina adds to the unfolding events.

7. ‘Madea’s Witness Protection’ (2012)

Nerdy CFO George Needleman discovers that his workplace, Lockwise Industries, is involved in a Ponzi scheme run by the Malone crime family. Accused by his boss, Walter, and faced with chaos at the office, George’s promise to take his son to a baseball game is disrupted as he becomes entangled in the criminal activities of his company.

8. ‘A Madea Christmas’ (2013)

Madea is fired from her job at a local store in Atlanta, Georgia, prompting her niece Eileen to plan a Christmas visit to her daughter Lacey in Bucktussle, Alabama. Unaware of Lacey’s interracial marriage, Eileen hopes to rekindle a relationship with Lacey’s ex-boyfriend Oliver, not realizing the complexities of Lacey’s current marital situation.

9. ‘Madea’s Tough Love’ 2015 – Animated Movie

In the real world, Madea expresses frustration with unruly kids on a cartoon she’s watching and is magically transported into the animated world. There, she confronts rude skateboarders, leading to a chaotic chase involving the police, culminating in her arrest for various offenses, including damage to public property and unpaid tickets.

10. ‘Boo! A Madea Halloween’ (2016)

Jonathan invites Tiffany and her friends to a Halloween party against her father Brian’s wishes, leading to a series of chaotic events. Madea, Aunt Bam, Joe, and Hattie become involved in the situation, with the elders trying to prevent Tiffany from attending the party, resulting in comedic misunderstandings and a ghost story that adds to the chaos.

11. ‘Boo 2! A Madea Halloween’ (2017)

A sequel to ‘Boo.’ On Tiffany’s 18th birthday, her father Brian, brother B.J., and mother Debrah surprise her with the car she desired, and Tiffany, along with her friend Gabriella, drives recklessly to a Halloween party at Lake Derrick hosted by Jonathan. Tiffany aims to mend relationships with Jonathan and others after a tumultuous incident the previous year.

12. ‘A Madea Family Funeral’ (2019)

In Maxine, Georgia, A.J., Jesse, and Sylvia plan a surprise party for their parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, with Madea, Joe, Brian, Aunt Bam, and Hattie traveling to the backwoods for the celebration. Along the way, they encounter a rude police officer whose sudden change in behavior surprises them.

13. ‘A Madea Homecoming’ (2022)

In Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Brown accidentally sets himself on fire while preparing the barbecue for Tim’s graduation celebration. As family members gather, discussions about recent neighborhood riots, divorce, and Joe’s suspicions about Tim and Davi’s relationship unfold, adding comedic dynamics to the event.

Where to watch the above-mentioned movies?

Considering that Madea’s Cinematic Universe is quite extensive, there isn’t a single streaming service where you can watch all the movies. This is why we scoured the internet in places that provide you access to every single installment in the MCU.

Will there be more movies featuring Madea?

At this moment, there is no news regarding a new movie featuring Madea. There have been rumors about Showtime developing a series following young Madea, a prequel, if you will, to the MCU. In any case, Perry frequently stated that he is ready to pass the torch to someone else when it comes to playing Madea. We will update this when we have more information.

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