Chris Stokes (director)

Last updated
Chris Stokes
Chris Stokes Chris Stokes Director Chris Stokes Producer Chris Stokes Media.jpeg
Chris Stokes in 2014
Born
Christopher Brian Stokes

(1969-07-21) July 21, 1969 (age 51)
Occupation
  • Record executive
  • talent manager
  • film producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1995present
Label(s)
Relatives Juanita Stokes (sister)
Website www.chrisstokesent.com

Christopher Brian Stokes [1] (born July 21, 1969) is an American record executive, film producer, talent manager and screenwriter. He is the son of actress Irene Stokes and older brother of singer Juanita Stokes. He is perhaps best known for being the founder of The Ultimate Group record label in 2000, whose roster included B2K, Omarion, Jhené Aiko, Marques Houston, IMx and NLT, among others. Stokes has been involved in the controversial mis-management and alleged sexual abuse of young artists previously signed to TUG.

Contents

Transition to film and television

Stokes first became connected with film and television through the talent he managed. In 1992, Marques Houston made his acting debut in the animated comedy film Bébé's Kids , and received his big break as a regular on Sister, Sister in 1994. All three members of Immature appeared in the film House Party 3 (1994).

His first film credit came in 2001 as the writer and director of House Party 4 , which starred Immature, which by then had transitioned to their new name IMx. He is perhaps most well known as the writer and director of the 2004 dance movie You Got Served , [2] starring members of his TUG record label. The cast included Lil' Kim [2] and Marques Houston. [2] The film opened at #1 at the box office during Super Bowl weekend with $16 million grossed in its first week.

He also wrote and directed Somebody Help Me and Somebody Help Me 2 , two horror films. The first, Somebody Help Me, was released to DVD on November 13, 2007 and made a television premiere on BET on Halloween 2007. [3] Both were distributed by Vivendi. The company's second feature, No Vacancy, another horror, was completed in 2011 and the first of Stokes' films not star talent from his music career. It was distributed by Grindstone / Lionsgate Home Entertainment. [4]

Also in 2011, Stokes returned to the dance battle genre with the dance-drama Battlefield America , starring Marques Houston, Gary Anthony Sturgis, and Lynn Whitfield. The film follows a young businessman whose community service obligations require him to turn a group of misfit kids into a dance team.

In 2018 it was announced Chris Stokes signed a 3-picture deal with Viacom, "We Belong Together," "Running Out of Time," and "Fall Girls." [5] "We Belong Together" launched BET Network's original movie franchise by premiering simultaneously on BET and BET Her, produced by Chris Stokes' Footage Films production company. [6] In August 2019, BET+ announced a new legal thriller "Sacrifice," to be written, directed, and produced by Chris Stokes through his Footage Films production company, and starring Paula Patton. [7] In May of 2020, Stokes' new musical series "Howard High," starring Marques Houston debuts on subscription-based platform UrbanflixTV. [8]

In 2020, BET+ acquired "Trigger," directed by Stokes. It is set to be released this summer as a BET Original on their streaming platform. [9] Also this summer, BET picked up thriller "Always and Forever," directed by Stokes and starring Lauren London, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Deborah Ayorinde, Rocsi Diaz, Wood Harris and Loretta Devine. [10] In September of 2020, BET+ announced that it would turn its original film "Sacrifice" into a series, ordering 10 episodes to be written, directed, and produced by Stokes. [11]


Chris Stokes at home in 2020 Chris Stokes at home.jpg
Chris Stokes at home in 2020

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
2001 House Party 4 Writer, DirectorCameo appearance as "Ray Ray"
2004 You Got Served Writer, Director
2007 Somebody Help Me Writer, Director, Producer
2010 Somebody Help Me 2 Writer, Director, Producer
2012 Battlefield America Writer, Director, Producer
The Helpers Writer, Director, Producer
Boogie TownWriter, Director, Producer
2016Only for One NightDirector
Boy ByeDirector
2017 'Til Death Do Us Part Writer, DirectorFilming
2018Always & 4EverWriter, DirectorFilming
2018We Belong TogetherWriter, DirectorBET Television Movie
2018Running Out Of TimeWriter, DirectorTBA
2019Fall GirlsWriter, Director
2019SacrificeWriter, DirectorBET Original
2020Howard HighDirectorTV Mini-Series
2020TriggerDirectorTV Mini-Series

Christopher Brian Collection

In 2007, Stokes launched a clothing and fashion line, [12] the Christopher Brian Collection, which debuted at Magic (trade show) in Las Vegas February 2007. [13] The line featured Kim Kardashian as the principle spokesmodel and was available at Dash, her Calabassas boutique. [13] Promotional images for the brand featured topless pictures of Kim Kardashian wearing just the Christopher Brian pants. [14]


Related Research Articles

B2K is an American boy band that was active from 2000 to 2004, and again from 2018 onwards. In 1998, the group was formed by American record producer Chris Stokes. They released their self-titled debut album on March 12, 2002. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

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<i>You Got Served</i> 2004 film by Chris Stokes

You Got Served is a 2004 American dance drama film written and directed by Chris Stokes, who was also the business manager of the performers who were film's main characters: recording artist Marques Houston and the boy band B2K. The plot follows a group of dancers, who take part in a street dancing competition. You Got Served was produced by Marcus Morton, Cassius Vernon Weathersby, Billy Pollina, and Kris Cruz Toledo, and filming took place Between May 1, 2003, and June 25, 2003. The Columbia Pictures division Screen Gems released the film on January 30, 2004—the weekend of Super Bowl XXXVIII. It opened at #1 at the box office during its opening weekend, and grossed $16 million in its first week.

IMx

Immature is an American R&B boy band, managed by record producer Chris Stokes. Its members include Marques "Batman" Houston, Jerome "Romeo" Jones, and Kelton "LDB" Kessee, all natives of Los Angeles, California, where the group was formed. The group released four albums under the Immature moniker including On Our Worst Behavior in 1992 which included former member Don "Half Pint" Santos, later replaced by Kessee, Playtyme Is Over in 1994, then We Got It in 1995 and finally in 1997 released the album, The Journey.

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Marques Houston American singer and actor

Marques Barrett Houston is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actor. A member of the R&B group Immature/IMx from 1990 until 2001, Houston went solo in 2003. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Roger Evans in the television comedy Sister, Sister.

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TUG Entertainment, was a record label/Management Company that was once home to such artists as B2K, Omarion, Marques Houston, Mila J, O'Ryan, Jhené Aiko, One Luv, 2 Much and NLT, Simon Phenix/Rawwtunez for Universal Records. TUG CEO Chris Stokes is responsible for many films involving TUG roster members e.g. You Got Served, and his most recent project is Somebody Help Me, a horror film which includes in its cast Omarion and Marques Houston.

Jerome Jones is an American rapper, singer and actor. He is a member of R&B singing group Immature/IMx and released his solo debut album Food for Thought in 2004.

<i>Somebody Help Me</i> (film)

Somebody Help Me is a 2007 American horror television film starring Marques Houston and Omarion, written and directed by their music producer, Chris Stokes.

<i>House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute</i> 2001 film by Chris Stokes

House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute is a 2001 American comedy film. It is the standalone fourth installment in the House Party film series as it has no connection to any of the preceding films or the subsequent film House Party: Tonight's the Night. It stars IMx, and is the only film in the series to not star Kid 'n Play. This is IMx's second House Party film; they also appeared in House Party 3 when they were known as Immature and portrayed entirely different characters than they do in this film.

Stay the Night (IMx song) 1999 single by IMx

"Stay the Night" is the lead single from IMx's fifth album, Introducing IMx. It reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and No. 20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart in late 1999. It was the group's most successful single as IMx, becoming their third single to earn a gold certification, achieving the feat on December 23, 1999, a little over two months after its release.

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<i>Battlefield America</i> 2012 American film directed by Chris Stokes

Battlefield America is an American dance-drama film by Cinedigm. It was directed by Chris Stokes from You Got Served. The film stars Gary Anthony Sturgis, Tristen M. Carter, Marques Houston, Kida Burns, Zach Balandres, Camren Bicondova, Edward Mandell, and Kyle Brooks. It was released on June 1, 2012 in American theaters.

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References

  1. https://www.californiabirthindex.org/birth/christop_b_stokes_born_1969_10760273.Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 Kehr, Dave (January 30, 2004). "You Got Served (2004) FILM REVIEW; A Hip-Hop Dance Team Duels Some Menacing White Boys". The New York Times .
  3. Who Is Chris Stokes. ChrisStokesLife.com. Chrisstokeslife.com Retrieved July 3rd, 2014.
  4. No Vacancy, 2012 on IMDb. Internet Movie Database
  5. Chris Stokes directing 1st of 3-picture deal with Viacom. Rollingout.com, April 2018. . Retrieved April 30th, 2020.
  6. BET Networks kicks-off its original movie franchise with the world premiere of "We Belong Together". BET Press, June 12, 2018. . Retrieved April 30th, 2020.
  7. BET+ press release announces Sacrifice to premiere Thursday, December 19. BET+ Press Room, August 15, 2019. . Retrieved April 30th, 2020.
  8. 'Howard High' Trailer: This inspiring musical drama is going to be this generation's 'Fame'. Hollywoodlife.com, April 17, 2019. . Retrieved April 30th, 2020.
  9. BET to air Chris Stokes directed Trigger this summer. ChrisStokesBlog.com, July 2020. . Retrieved July 13th, 2020.
  10. Chris Stokes directed Always and Forever gets picked up by [BET] on their cable channel and UMC network. July 2020. Retrieved July 13th, 2020.
  11. BET+ Movie ‘Sacrifice’ Starring Paula Patton Picked Up To Series. Deadline.com, September 28, 2019. . Retrieved January 1st, 2021.
  12. Christopher Stokes Reveals Plans Behind Clothing Line Debut. Fashion Victim, Dennicas's Place. Dennicasplace.com [ permanent dead link ] Retrieved July 3rd, 2014.
  13. 1 2 Take Cover: Kim Kardashian. J'Adore Magazine, November 2007. Jadoremag.com Archived July 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved July 3rd, 2014.
  14. TMZ: Chris Stokes. TMZ. Retrieved July 3rd, 2014.