Joe's College Road Trip (2026)
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A grandfather and his grandson embark on a cross-country road trip to tour a university campus, leading to unexpected encounters and a journey of self-discovery.
The story
B.J. is a high school graduate facing peer pressure from his private school friends to attend Pepperdine University instead of his accepted spot at the HBCU Morehouse College. His father, Brian, seeks help from his aunt Madea, who suggests that Joe—Brian's father—should take B.J. on the road trip. Under the ruse that Joe is dying, Brian convinces his son to go. Joe, an extremist parent, takes B.J. on a journey in his Buick convertible. The pair sets off toward California, stopping in Tennessee and Texas, where they encounter various people and face challenges along the way.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
B.J. is pressured by his white private school friends to attend Pepperdine University, despite being accepted to the HBCU Morehouse College. His father, Brian, asks his aunt Madea for help, and she suggests Joe take B.J. on the trip. Brian tricks B.J. into going by claiming Joe is dying. They set off in Joe's Buick convertible, Ruby, stopping in Tennessee to see an old friend, Geraldine. After a bar fight, they reach a whorehouse in Texas run by Pearl. Joe hooks B.J. up with Destiny, a trafficking survivor who joins them. Joe eventually kicks her out after B.J. calls out his misogyny. While B.J. and Destiny stay at a motel, B.J. learns about Black history. Joe discovers the trafficking gang is hunting Destiny and finds them at a library. A police chase ensues, led by Brian. Ultimately, B.J. decides to attend Morehouse and takes Joe and Destiny to Las Vegas instead.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tyler Perry
- Writers
- Tyler Perry · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tyler Perry · Joe Simmons; Tyler Perry · Brian Simmons; Tyler Perry · Madea; Jermaine Harris · B.J. Simmons; Amber Reign Smith · Destiny; Millie Jackson · Geraldine; Bethany Anne Lind · Vikki; Jeremy Gimenez · Garrett
- Genres
- road comedy; comedy
- Themes
- parenting; Black history; misogyny; education
- Tone and mood
- comedy; road movie
- Premise and plot tags
- road trip; grandparent-grandchild relationship; family comedy
- Franchise connections
- Madea
- Production trivia
- The film is the first in the Madea franchise to focus on her brother Joe.; Filming took place in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Memphis, Tennessee, and Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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