Tyler Perry to Direct ‘Six Triple Eight’ Film on Black Female WWII Battalion

LOS ANGELES, CA. February 24, 2019: Tyler Perry at the 91st Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre. Picture: Paul Smith/Featureflash/Shutterstock

Tyler Perry is teaming up with Netflix to direct the feature film, Six Triple Eight, about the 6888th battalion — the only all-Black female U.S. military battalion during World War II.

Six Triple Eight tells the true story of 855 brave women. With little knowledge of their task of sorting through millions of pieces of mail in unheated warehouses, the women succeeded and did it in half the time they were given.

Related StoryTyler Perry Inks Deal to Direct Four Movies for Amazon

Facing discrimination, unfamiliar land, and a war-torn country, they persevered and sorted over 17 million pieces of mail, reconnecting American soldiers with their families and loved ones back home.

According to the streamer, “The motto that kept them going each day was one they created themselves: ‘No Mail, Low Morale.’ The women of the 6888 weren’t just delivering mail, they were delivering hope.”

The story of the 6888th Postal Directory Battalion had been ignored for decades, until recently.

On March 14th, 2022, President Joe Biden signed a bill for the women to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. The honor was granted “in recognition of their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and contributions to increase the morale of personnel stationed in the European theater of operations during World War II,” the bill states.

Perry will write the screenplay based on an article by Kevin M. Hymel, which was published in WWII History Magazine.

The filmmaker will also produce along with, Nicole Avant for Her Excellency Productions; Keri Selig for Intuition Productions; Carlota Espinosa; Angi Bones and Tony Strickland for Tyler Perry Studios. Peter Guber for Mandalay Pictures will serve as executive producer.

This is the fourth film Perry has directed for Netflix, after bringing his character Madea to the streaming giant and also helming A Fall From Grace and A Jazzman’s Blues.


Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

About Maria Leal

Maria Leal is a bilingual, multi-media journalist based in Los Angeles. She can be reached on Twitter @MariaLealNews.