Whether you like Tyler Perry or not, he can certainly make a hit movie. In fact, he's already done that twice this year: I Can Do Bad All By Myself just took the top spot at the box office with $24 million, and Madea Goes to Jail took $41 million opening weekend back in February.

Perry's Madea character had now been in 10 films, if you count direct-to-DVD movies. As Asylum notes, that's more than Jim Varney's Ernest character!

Nicholas Nadel writes: "Could Madea be the new Ernest? Indeed, when examined side by side, the similarities between the two beloved characters are uncanny. Both 'went to jail.' (Though Madea has yet to save Christmas.) Both starred in numerous theatrical and direct-to-video films. (Madea appeared in popular direct-to-video versions of Tyler Perry's early plays before hitting the big time, while Ernest continued to have a robust career in cheaply produced fare like "Slam Dunk Ernest" after hitting the big time.) Both have a taste for catchphrases. ("Know what I mean?" and "I oughta punch you in the face!") And both defied cynics with their continued box office success."

Click here for the rest of the story, including what year Madea could overtake the James Bond franchise!

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Story by Casey Johnson
Starpulse.com contributing writer