Christopher B. Stokes, the directors of such films as House Party 4, You Got Served, Somebody Help Me, Somebody Help Me 2, The Stepmother, and The Stepmother 2, is about to send four more movies out into the world over the course of just three months – and it’s all thanks to the Tubi streaming service. Continuing to get into original programming (previous Tubi originals include the Terror Train remake and its sequel), Tubi has teamed up with Footage Films to bring four “Black cinema thrillers” to their service. Stokes has directed all four of the movies and wrote the scripts for each one with Marques Houston.
First up is The Assistant, which is set to reach Tubi on January 20th. Variety reports that The Assistant follows doctor Raven Fields (Erica Mena) who finds herself drowning in work and looks to hire an assistant to help with her day-to-day. Taking a chance on a young and cheery woman, Raven believes she’s found the perfect person until assistance turns into obsession, and she risks losing everything, including her life.
Mena is joined in the cast by Parker McKenna Posey, Flex Alexander, Erica Hubbard, Ray Cunningham, Herb Kimble, and Billi King.
Next is Best Friend, which Tubi will release on February 24th. That one follows Trisha Freeman (Serayah McNeil) and Jamie Dawson (Houston), two friends since childhood who have never thought of one another in a romantic way. When Trisha meets someone, Jamie begins to question their friendship and, consumed by jealousy, tries to keep Trisha and her new love interest apart.
McNeil and Houston star alongside Blue Kimble, Tremayne Norris, Wesley Jonathan, Ashley Martelle, and Stephanie Acevedo.
On March 24th, we’re getting You’re Not Alone. The synopsis: When his flight is delayed coming home from a business trip, Keith Mitchell (Michael Jai White) has to leave his daughter Alexis (Precious Way), who’s stuck at home under house arrest, alone for the night. Once Keith is finally in the air with full bars of WiFi, he notices a stranger enter the house on his security system. Unable to warn Alexis when the WiFi suddenly cuts out, Keith sits helpless from 30,000 feet in the air while his daughter fights for her life.
White (pictured below) and Way are joined in the cast by Mena, King, Justin Sweat, Earanequa Carter, Vincent Rivera, Tamera Kissen, Mike Hill, Paul Logan, Robinne Lee, and Keith Sweat.
And just five days later, on March 29th, Tubi will release No Way Out. That one is about Brian Nelson (Houston), a former attorney struggling to cope with life following a traumatic and tragic event. When drug dealer Anthony Santiago (Beau Casper Smart) forces Brian to take on his double murder trial, Brian discovers that the case isn’t as black and white as it appears. Lyrica Anderson and Cassidey Fralin also star.
All four of these “Black Cinema thrillers” were executive produced by Stokes and Houston, with Footage Films president Juanita Stokes producing. Best Friend was also executive produced by Lee Tiffith, Kanika McNeil, and Serayah McNeil. Keith Sweat is an executive producer on You’re Not Alone. Beau Casper Smart is a co-producer on No Way Out.
Do these “Black Cinema thrillers” sound interesting to you? Will you be watching them when they reach Tubi? Let us know by leaving a comment below.