Mahershala Ali plays Houston hit man and father in TIFF entry Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
Mahershala Ali leads a Houston action thriller about a father with a hidden job. His new film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, screened in Special Presentations at the Toronto International Film Festival, the festival’s showcase for high-profile premieres, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Reporter published its review on 13 September 2026. The film runs 1 hour 42 minutes and is credited to Bassam Tariq as director and writer, according to the same review.
Ali stars as Latif, a devout Muslim and contract killer travelling across Houston, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Latif is a former Marine who keeps killing stateside while employed by Mike, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He is also a loving family man trying to hold his household together, according to TIFF.
The home life drives the plot. Latif is left as sole parent to three children after the death of his wife Khadijah, played by Shakirah DeMesier. He must navigate single fatherhood while keeping his work secret and protecting his family, a situation outlined when the trailer was reported by Deadline.
The cast around him is tight. Laith Nakli plays Mike, the man who employs Latif. Tramell Tillman plays Talib, Latif’s brother, and Giancarlo Esposito plays Abdul Malik, Latif’s father-in-law, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
John Cho plays Pastor Kwan. Cho has been identified as the villain of the piece, in an interview reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Latif must protect his family from a violent cult leader, according to Mashable. Cho described the film as a combination of a story about family and faith set inside an action thriller.
Behind the camera, the film marks a reunion. Tariq re-teamed with Ali after they both exited Marvel’s Blade, according to Indiewire. Tariq was also named among TIFF’s final 2026 Tribute Award recipients, according to TIFF.
Ali said he had been “yearning” to perform action on screen before the shoot. Short line, clear intent. TIFF lists the film as a Texas-set action thriller.
For fans, this means a short wait. The film will play in select theatres from 25 September, then open everywhere in October, according to the trailer announcement on YouTube.
