Marlon Wayans is instantly recognizable to multiple generations of fans. Maybe it’s from smash comedy flicks like Scary Movie or White Chicks, from constant TV series drop-ins, or from his unexpected and acclaimed dramatic performance in Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream.

But as Vegas audiences will see this weekend at MGM Grand, Wayans has become known in recent years as a strikingly confident and refined standup comedian. This chapter of his varied career began when he auditioned in 2010 for the lead role in a Richard Pryor biopic, a film that never came together.

“I started out wanting to do that movie, and then it went away. But instead of wanting to play a great, I wanted to be a great, so I went on this journey,” Wayans tells the Weekly.

He’s been touring consistently and filming specials for the better part of the last decade, but Wayans hasn’t stepped away from the big screen—he reteamed with his famous comedy family to resurrect the Scary Movie franchise, and the 2026 reboot has grossed more than $228 million since its June release.

Congratulations on Scary Movie. How confident were you and the team that this would resonate with audiences?

Yeah, especially worldwide, it’s done some wonderful numbers. I think you can see that the world wants to laugh again. That’s what we were confident about, because people went a long time not being in theaters laughing together, so me and my brothers put something together. We want to resuscitate the whole brand. The world definitely needs more comedy.

What’s next for you as far as movies go? You’ve portrayed such a diverse collection of roles. What kind of character do you really want to play, or what kind of movie do you feel compelled to make?

I just want to continue that diversity, with whatever script is connecting. I just want to put the best work together with the best scripts and see where it lands me. If I believe in the story, I give 150%. I just want to make people feel.

What’s it been like to develop your standup act at this stage of your career? Do you feel like you’ve surprised some fans who didn’t know you had this in your bag?

Sometimes. I think they’ve been surprised by how good I am onstage because it’s very different from movies and TV. It’s very free, but there’s a lot of intricate writing. If people are impressed with me as a comedian, I think it’s because the level of expectation is high, and yet there’s none. Every special I do, every hour I do, I try to grow, dig deeper, try to be more vulnerable.

You’ve covered a lot of varied topics in your comedy and I think that’s why it feels like you’ve been doing standup forever.

I’ve been doing it now for 15 years, just staying in the pocket. I did God Loves Me and took you on my personal journey, even though it was all about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock, it was really about me. I dug a little deeper when I did Good Grief, dealing with my parents passing which was very hard for me, but I found the jokes and found the healing in my set, and maybe helped others heal. Now I’ve done a great set about my daughter transitioning into my son, and the five states I went through to get to acceptance, and it sounds like drama but it’s truly hilarious. I’m not afraid to express myself onstage.

Do you think you would have found your way to standup if not for that Richard Pryor movie?

I don’t know. I probably would have. I believe in God and purpose, that everything is supposed to happen or not supposed to happen. I think I would have wound up in the same place. If an opportunity presents itself or keeps presenting itself, that’s the universe telling you something, and I try to listen.

You’ve performed in Vegas before but it’s your first time in this room at MGM. Is it a friendly city for you?

When you play a lot of cities like I do, it starts to feel like the same people in a dark room. Sometimes in Vegas they’re laughing very hard and having a great time, sometimes they’re a little drunk. You never know what you’re going to get, but I try to have a good time no matter what kind of crowd it is. Standup is a whole different art form and a lot of people come in like, he’s movie funny but is he standup funny? I’m all funny. I work for this every day. I’m a scientist in my art right now and I’m not afraid of any stage anywhere.

MARLON WAYANS July 24-25, 9 p.m., $62+. MGM Grand Theater, mgmgrand.com.

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