Naman Shrestha
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, Netflix’s ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ (also titled ‘Tyler Perry’s Joe’s College Road Trip’) is a comedy movie that centers on BJ, who has plans to travel cross-country with his all-white friends, indulging in all kinds of fun activities. Meanwhile, his father, Brian, is stressed about the fact that BJ is not aware of what it means to be Black in America. He opens up about the same to Madea, who also believes BJ has a lot to learn about the real world. To help his son see the truth, Brian sends BJ on a college tour with Madea’s brother and BJ’s grandfather, Joe.
During their cross-country journey, Joe makes multiple stops at his favorite spots. However, their trip turns into a series of misadventures as the duo runs into trouble. Although they struggle to connect initially, the journey allows BJ to form new, informed opinions about the previous generations. Featuring hilarious performances from Tyler Perry, Jermaine Harris, Amber Reign Smith, Bethany Anne Lind, Jeremy Gimenez, and Millie Jackson, the adventurous tale unfolds across a series of backdrops, highlighting the different stages in BJ’s journey towards the truth.
Joe’s College Road Trip Filming Locations
‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ was filmed in Tennessee, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Georgia, particularly in Memphis, Clarksdale, Las Cruces, and Atlanta. From what we can tell, principal photography for the Tyler Perry directorial and starrer got underway in January 2024 and went on for nearly a month before wrapping up in the second week of February of the same year. One of the crew members, Meredith Tryon, received her first-ever wrap gift and took to social media to express her gratitude. She stated, “I’ll never forget this experience, the people I’ve met, the solitude of the career change I’ve made, and the opportunity I’ve been given. JOE. What a trip indeed – and it’s not over yet.”
Memphis, Tennessee
A significant chunk of ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ was lensed in and around the city of Memphis, situated along the Mississippi River. In January 2024, the cast and crew members were spotted taping important scenes in various parts of the city, including Beale Street. According to reports, multiple scenes involving BJ and Joe driving in a vintage red convertible were shot on the street on a slightly rainy night. At the time of the shooting, the street was not closed to the public, but the district was fortunately not that crowded. Various key portions were also reportedly shot outside the National Civil Rights Museum at 450 Mulberry Street.
Clarksdale, Mississippi
For the purpose of shooting, the production team of ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ also set up camp in Clarksdale. Situated along the Sunflower River, the downtown area of the city primarily served as a prominent production location as the cast and crew closed off a few streets and hired some locals as extras. The Clarksdale Police Department also shared a few words about shooting the Tyler Perry directorial in the city. They stated, “Thanks to Mayor Chuck Espy for arranging a meet and greet with Mr. Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry Studios chose Clarksdale, MS to shoot scenes for his upcoming movie, Joe’s College Road Trip. Thank you Mr. Perry for choosing Clarksdale!!”
Las Cruces, New Mexico
The filming unit of the comedy movie also traveled to Las Cruces, situated in New Mexico’s Doña Ana County, in early February 2024. For the shooting process in the city, they reportedly employed around 90 New Mexican crew members and background talent. The scenes featuring the rugged terrains that the duo of BJ and Joe drive through during their road trip were filmed in and around Las Cruces, the landscape of which is dominated by the gigantic presence of the Organ Mountains.
Atlanta, Georgia
Additional portions for ‘Joe’s College Road Trip’ were also seemingly taped in the city of Atlanta. To be specific, the production team used the facilities and technology at the director’s own film studio — Tyler Perry Studios at 1 Tyler Perry Studio Way. Spread across 330 acres, the production complex consists of 12 purpose-built sound stages, an expansive backlot area, 40 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, and 200 acres of green space. Several indoor scenes for the Tyler Perry directorial were supposedly shot on a few sound stages at the film studio.
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