Tyler Perry has revealed that Why Did I Get Married Again? nearly began under difficult circumstances. As Netflix released the first teaser for the highly anticipated sequel and announced its September 9 premiere date, Perry shared that he broke his collarbone just two weeks before filming started—an injury he had to deal with throughout most of the production.
Even with the painful setback, Perry continued to wear multiple hats on the project, serving as the film’s writer, director, producer, and one of its lead stars. Speaking with People, the 56-year-old said he suffered the injury during a bike ride shortly before filming got underway in Italy.
“The cast will tell you their favorite experience is me walking around saying, ‘Watch my shoulder,'” Perry joked.
That warning became even more important while filming one of the movie’s biggest dance scenes. “I was talking to everyone, directing and getting the cast to dance,” Perry recalled. “But my shoulder was in a lot of pain and I kept telling them to watch my shoulder.”
The phrase quickly turned into an inside joke, with Perry revealing that the cast eventually renamed their group chat “Watch my shoulder.”
The newly released trailer gives fans their first glimpse at the third installment in the franchise, bringing back many of the original cast members more than 15 years after Why Did I Get Married Too? premiered.
Perry reprises his role alongside Tasha Smith, Sharon Leal, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker, and Jill Scott. Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson also joins the franchise for the first time.
The cast additionally includes Armani Greer, Everett Osborne, Da’Vinchi, Laya Deleon Hayes, Jaden Michael, Charles L. Smith II, Derrick A. King, and Sydney Winbush.
According to Netflix’s official synopsis, the story follows the wedding of Marcus (Michael Jai White) and Angela’s (Tasha Smith) daughter in Lake Como, Italy. As the longtime friends reunite for the celebration, they realize their children have picked up more of their parents’ traits than expected, leading everyone to reflect on the decisions that have shaped their marriages.
Henson recently hinted that fans can expect “everything you loved in the first film and more,” adding, “Who doesn’t love a destination wedding that brings together old and new friends?”
The sequel also marks Henson’s fifth collaboration with Perry after I Can Do Bad All By Myself, The Family That Preys, Acrimony, and Straw.
For Perry, the latest installment is about more than bringing back beloved characters. “I am most excited for audiences to see how these characters have matured and how their love for each other took them through some really hard times,” he said.
He added that the film is “a wonderful reminder of how people grow, change, mature, and settle into what marriage is and not what we think it is when we’re young.”
