Tyler Perry is finally ready to kill Madea off.
On Monday’s episode of “Bevelations,” the filmmaker and actor told “Page Six TV” co-host Bevy Smith that the last movie in the long-running franchise, “Madea Family Funeral,” will hit theaters next year.
“It’s time for me to kill that old bitch,” he joked. “I’m tired, man. I’m tired.”
Asked why he was finally ready to say goodbye to a character he’s been playing for nearly 20 years, Perry replied, “I just don’t want to be her age playing her.”
A tough elderly woman, Madea made her first appearance in Perry’s 1999 stage play “I Can Do Bad All By Myself.” Over the proceeding decades, the character has appeared in nine more plays, along with 10 films (“Madea Family Funeral” will be the franchise’s 11th movie).
He also revealed that he’s been sitting on the final Madea film for two years, because he wanted to give the last entry, 2017’s “Boo 2! A Madea Halloween,” some time to breathe.
In addition to “Madea Family Funeral,” Madea will also appear in one last stage tour next year, giving Perry a final chance to play the character.
