This summer, singer, actor, and filmmaker Marques Houston is stepping into new territory with the release of Run, a film that mixes romance, horror, and an alien invasion.
Directed by longtime collaborator Chris Stokes, the movie follows Mellisa (Annie Ilonzeh) after she leaves her fiancé Andre (played by Houston) at the altar. A “girls trip” meant to be a lighthearted escape turns terrifying when their friend is found mutilated in the woods, just as news of a nationwide alien attack breaks. Suddenly, survival becomes the only priority.
For Houston, who co-wrote the film with Stokes, Run is about more than jump scares and extraterrestrials.
“We capitalized on making sure that it was a great story about bonding and friendship and love, and coming together with that,” he explains. “Even though there’s a situation going on, it’s still a moment to bond together and work together… a story of survival, a story of love, and a story of people being tested. And what will you do in that situation?”
Creating Space for Black Horror
While horror has long been a staple of American cinema, it hasn’t always been welcoming to Black characters or creators. Houston is well aware of that history.
“Black people, you don’t really see [us] in horror films or Black people in sci-fi. So, as Black filmmakers, that was our goal,” he says. “We wanted to make sure that we could see ourselves in a movie like this as well.”
Houston sees Run as part of a broader movement to redefine who belongs in genre storytelling.
“Fifteen years ago, you think of horror, you think ‘oh the Black person is gonna die first,’” he recalls. “We just don’t even exist in that genre. But now with movies like Sinners, Him, and of course Jordan Peele…It’s really starting to create this idea that we are here and we can do these kinds of movies.
Beyond Streaming
Houston also stresses the importance of theatrical releases, especially for Black filmmakers. While platforms like Tubi and Netflix have provided valuable exposure, he believes box office turnout proves something deeper.
“It really, really speaks volumes if we can go and support because it shows that we can do both,” he says. “We’re not just used to sitting at home watching a movie. We want to experience that experience as well—take our family, take our friends, and really show up.”
Run hits theaters on August 29. Houston hopes audiences, especially Black audiences, will rally behind it. “Get out there and support the movie,” he urges. “It really shows Hollywood that we can make movies like this as African American filmmakers. It opens the door for other African American filmmakers, young directors, young writers, young producers, young actors out there that are really trying to make their mark.”
For Houston, Run isn’t just a horror story. It’s a statement: Black stories, Black filmmakers, and Black audiences belong in every genre.
Credit: Courtesy Footage Films
