Taye Diggs and Tamar Braxton’s Stepfather Isn’t a Remake — It Just Feels Like One
Taye Diggs and Tamar Braxton headline Tubi’s Stepfather, a new domestic thriller that isn’t a remake of the 1987 classic but prowls the same sinister ground.
Turns out 2026 is getting a new 'Stepfather' movie on Tubi. And no, it is not officially a remake of 'The Stepfather' you might be thinking of. But read the setup and tell me you don’t hear the same music playing.
A quick refresher on the name
- 1987: Terry O'Quinn terrified everyone as the title character in director Joseph Ruben's thriller 'The Stepfather'.
- 1989: 'Stepfather II: Make Room for Daddy' brought O'Quinn back for round two.
- 1992: 'Stepfather 3' continued the saga with Robert Wightman taking over the role.
- 2009: The story got the straight-up remake treatment.
So what is this new 'Stepfather'?
Variety says the latest 'Stepfather' stars Taye Diggs ('The Best Man') and Tamar Braxton ('Braxton Family Values') and is expected to land on Tubi in 2026. Diggs plays Darnell, a man who survived abuse as a kid and twists that unresolved trauma into a mission to build the perfect family by any means necessary. Translation: if his new household doesn’t pass his purity test, he gets rid of them and tries again.
The gist: After years of erasing any family that fails his perfection checklist, Darnell thinks his new wife Asia (Braxton) and her daughters might finally be the right fit. Then the tension spikes, they figure out what he’s been doing, and suddenly his usual plan to make them disappear is not so easy.
Yes, that absolutely sounds like 'The Stepfather' playbook, just with more than one stepdaughter in the mix. The film isn’t being sold as a remake, but the DNA is hard to miss.
Who’s making it and where it stands
Chris Stokes ('You Got Served') is directing and co-wrote the script with singer Marques Houston (who also acted in 'You Got Served'). Cameras are already rolling in Los Angeles. The movie is produced by Footage Films Studios, with Stokes and Houston serving as executive producers.
If those names ring a bell on Tubi, it’s because Stokes and Houston previously made the streamer’s thriller 'The Stepmother', which spawned two sequels. So sliding over to a 'Stepfather' project feels like a very on-brand next move.
Bottom line: Taye Diggs as a smiling nightmare of domestic perfectionism on Tubi? I’m in. Whether it’s an homage or just spiritual cousin to the 1987 classic, it’s walking the same creepy hallway. Curious where you land on this one.