Tyler Perry made Hollywood look to Atlanta three years ago when his barely noticed, locally shot, $5.5 million movie “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” debuted at No. 1 at the box office with $22 million in ticket receipts.

And Saturday night, some major names in Hollywood are expected to travel to Atlanta to help the director-producer-writer-actor open his full-service television and film studio.

The invite list for the grand-opening gala includes Oscar winner Sidney Poitier, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Whitney Houston, Usher, Mary J. Blige (who is expected to perform) — and of course, Perry’s friend, inspiration and fellow mogul, Oprah Winfrey.

Guests will tour the 200,000 square foot studio and office space in southwestern Atlanta near Greenbriar Mall. The facility features four sound stages, 30 dressing rooms and a 400-seat screening room — all of which sit on a 30-acre campus that once held Delta Air Lines’ corporate offices.

In June, the Atlanta Development Authority agreed to issue $35 million in bonds to help build the facility. Perry estimates that his 300 employees will continue earning some $100 million annually for the city. All of Perry’s productions — including the current TBS hit “House of Payne” and his new small screen incarnation of the play and film “Meet The Browns” — will be filmed on site.

“Tyler has been great to and for the city of Atlanta,” Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said in an e-mail Friday. “He has chosen to house his home and his studio here and that is a real investment in the city so we are thrilled to have him as a resident and a friend.

“I think it is great that his studio is in southwest Atlanta, the community is excited about him being there and look forward to him continuing to tell contemporary stories about love, family, struggles and dreams,” Franklin said. “It is no secret that I personally enjoy his work and respect him as a friend and an artist.”

In an interview last month with the AJC, Perry explained why building his new studio was important to him.

“I know how much Atlanta has given me,” Perry said. “I left New Orleans with nothing. I came to Atlanta with nothing. But there was so much promise here for me. In Atlanta, anybody who comes here who’s willing to work can make it. It doesn’t matter who you are. Atlanta is that kind of city.”

Ric Reitz, a local actor who has had parts in two Tyler Perry movies, said Perry’s studio “will help stabilize the local film-making community as we attempt to grow.”

Reitz helped structure Georgia’s new tax incentive program this year for film and TV production, which made it easier for Perry to stay in the state and is already bringing in other work. Reitz says that Perry’s impact expands beyond just hiring actors. He also employs technicians, writers, art directors and unit production managers, among others.

“He may have a standard 50 to 100 people on payroll, but he’ll also need to hire an expansive number of people for each project,” Reitz said. “That helps build our infrastructure.”

However, the opening of Tyler Perry Studios may not be all celebration.

The Writers Guild has planned a protest at the site, accusing Perry of firing four staffers earlier this week in retaliation for their efforts toward organizing a union.

Matt Johnson, Perry’s attorney, countered in a prepared statement that Kellie Griffin, Christopher Moore, Teri Brown-Jackson and Lamont Ferrell “were terminated because of the quality of their work.” Three other writers were asked to stay, and two of them did, he said.

The guild plans to have protesters at the studio at 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday. It is asking Winfrey, Smith and the rest of Perry’s guests to honor the picket line.

Shane Blatt, Richard Eldredge and Rodney Ho contributed to this article.