Tyler Perry and DeVon Franklin have booked the cast and director for their upcoming film R&B, which is a modern-day retelling of the biblical love story between Ruth and Boaz.
Franklin and Perry are producers on the Netflix movie.
On Monday, Oct. 14, the streaming service announced the film will star Tyler Lepley (Harlem, P-Valley), Serayah (Empire, Kingdom Business), and legendary actress Phylicia Rashad.
Walnette Santiago (BMF), Nijah Brenea (Rap Sh!t), James Lee Thomas (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and Jermaine Dupri (Genius: Aretha, Brown Sugar) round out the ensemble cast.
Related: Tyler Perry Partners With DeVon Franklin to Bring Faith-Based Films to Netflix
Directed by Alanna Brown (Trees of Peace), R&B follows a young woman who escapes the Atlanta music scene for Tennessee, to care for an elderly widowed woman. In the process, the young woman meets the love of her life and gains the mother she never had.
The writers of R&B are Michael Elliot (Brown Sugar) and Cory Tynan (Play’d). Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, andBart Lipton serve as executive producers.
Netflix first announced the multi-year, first-look deal between Perry and Franklin in May. The partnership will see the pair bring faith-based films to the streamer.
Perry and Netflix also have a first-look, multi-year movie deal, which began in October 2023, and in February 2024, the filmmaker signed a TV deal with the streamer.
Franklin is best known for producing the 2016 faith-based drama Miracles from Heaven and the 2023 biographical film, Flamin’ Hot, which was directed by Eva Longoria.
A release date for R&B will be announced later.
The image above shows (L-R) Tyler Lepley, Serayah, and Phylicia Rashad is courtesy of Netflix and Shutterstock.