The gospel superstar produces the holiday film's soundtrack as Fantasia, Tank and an extraordinary gathering of gospel artists prepare to bring its story to Netflix on November 11.
Kirk Franklin is bringing his musical talents to Tyler Perry's holiday season. The 20-time Grammy Award winner is producing the soundtrack for Tyler Perry's The Gospel of Christmas, premiering November 11, 2026, on Netflix. The film's music brings together contemporary and classic selections spanning gospel, rap and Christmas favourites.
Written, directed and produced by Perry, the film stars Durrell "Tank" Babbs as Isaac, a struggling pastor who inherits his family's church in a troubled New York City neighbourhood. Fantasia Barrino Taylor plays his wife, Rebecca. With the church's future in jeopardy, Isaac must confront doubt and temptation while rediscovering the faith and prayer needed to help his family and community before Christmas.
Franklin also joins a cast featuring some of gospel music's most celebrated voices, including CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, Shirley Caesar, The Clark Sisters, Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Smokie Norful and Jekalyn Carr. Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Le'Andria Johnson, Ann Nesby, Chanté Moore and John Gray also appear. The official trailer is available now.
For Perry, the project began with the music that sustained him through personal hardship. Those songs helped inspire a Christmas story in which worship and the life of a local church play central roles. Franklin's soundtrack brings that musical vision into the film.
The collaboration arrives during a busy period for Franklin, who released I Am What I Am on October 30. His first double album pairs studio recordings with live gospel performances, bringing his love of traditional church music alongside his continuing interest in sounds beyond the genre.
Guests include Davido on "Hope In You," Jelly Roll on "Free Me Tonight," GloRilla on "This Time" and Tobe Nwigwe on "It Gets Better." Karen Clark Sheard and Tim Rogers contribute to the live recordings. The project gives listeners both the choir arrangements associated with Franklin's career and collaborations drawing on Afrobeats, hip-hop and R&B.
Franklin has also been speaking candidly about the personal questions behind his new music. In a November 5 interview with The Christian Post, he discussed family regrets, the challenge of balancing music with home life, and his growing understanding of God's grace.
"I'm older and I'm freer now," he told the publication, explaining that he has become more comfortable acknowledging his struggles. He also addressed criticism of his mainstream collaborations, welcoming questions while expressing concern about cruelty in some responses.
More than three decades into his career, Franklin continues to bring gospel music into new settings. With a new album available and Perry's Christmas film days away, his latest work places faith, human struggle and hope before audiences through both music and film.
Tyler Perry's The Gospel of Christmas begins streaming November 11 on Netflix. Franklin's I Am What I Am is available now.
