Some of the best movie nights start with a simple question. This November, that question is a funny one: Where in the world did Grandpa go?
“Search Party: Where’s PawPaw?” is a new family comedy opening in U.S. theaters on Friday, November 13, 2026. It is rated PG, and it was made by a mother-and-daughter team who wanted to create something the whole family could laugh at together.
What the movie is about
The story follows Noble Williams, a college student who rushes home after an alarming call: her beloved grandfather, PawPaw, has taken a sudden turn for the worse. According to EURweb and Urban Hollywood 411, when Noble visits him at his nursing home, PawPaw tells her he needs to get out of there. By the next day, he is gone.
All he leaves behind is a mysterious clue: “The clock is ticking.” That message points Noble back to a giant clock PawPaw once had her wear as a little girl, and the hunt is on. With her two best friends and her colorful Aunt MeekMeek, Noble follows a trail of odd clues and even odder characters, trying to find PawPaw before time runs out.
Who is in it
- Tommy Davidson plays PawPaw.
- Tichina Arnold plays Aunt MeekMeek.
- Victoria Monai Richards plays Noble, and also directed and co-wrote the film.
- Nijah Brenea and Daisy Fernandez play Noble’s best friends.
A mother and daughter behind the camera
This is Richards’ first feature film as a director, and according to Urban Hollywood 411, she made it at age 22. She co-wrote it with her mother, Sherrie Richards, under their family production company, Faith+Works Productions.
“This film came from a very real place,” Richards said in a statement reported by Urban Hollywood 411. Speaking to EURweb, she described it as “the kind of comedy I grew up loving, something genuinely funny, colorful, and ridiculous that the whole family can enjoy together.”
We love that picture: a mom and her grown daughter, sitting at the same table, writing a story about a granddaughter who will not stop searching for her grandfather. That is three generations of love in one project.
Parents’ guide
- Rating: PG. Rotten Tomatoes lists the reasons as violence, a drug reference, some language, and rude or suggestive humor. PG means “parental guidance suggested,” so some material may not suit younger children.
- Release date: November 13, 2026, in theaters, as listed by the Daily Republic (Nov. 1), Rotten Tomatoes and Total Cinema. Rotten Tomatoes describes it as a limited release, so check your local theater listings. Release dates and theater plans can change.
- Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
- Distributor: Atlas Distribution Company, with Faith+Works Productions, according to Rotten Tomatoes and Total Cinema.
- Themes to talk about: The story begins with a grandparent’s failing health and a nursing home. For children who have an aging or sick grandparent, those scenes could bring up feelings worth talking through.
We have not seen the film yet, and early reviews were not available when we wrote this. As always, trusted parent review sites can help you decide if it is right for your own children.
Why it matters for families
Underneath the silly clues and chases is a sweet idea: grandchildren who love their grandparents enough to go looking for them. In a busy world, that is a message worth cheering for.
The Bible honors that bond between the generations.
“Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.”
Proverbs 17:6 (KJV)
Whether or not you make it to the theater, this might be a good week to call a grandparent, visit an older neighbor, or ask Grandma or Grandpa to tell a story from when they were young. Some of the best adventures do not need a search party at all, just a little time together.
Through every storm, we rise together.
What is your favorite memory with a grandparent, and what family movie are you most excited to watch together this season?
Sources: Daily Republic, “On the Town November 2026: Holiday-themed movies arrive on the screen this month” (Nov 1, 2026); Rotten Tomatoes, “Search Party: Where’s PawPaw?” (accessed Nov 3, 2026); Total Cinema, “November 2026 Movie Releases” (accessed Nov 3, 2026); EURweb, “Tichina Arnold and Tommy Davidson Join the Chaos in ‘Search Party: Where’s PawPaw?’” (Sep 18, 2026); Urban Hollywood 411, “Tommy Davidson Is Missing in ‘Search Party: Where’s PawPaw?’” (Sep 18, 2026); KJV Proverbs 17:6
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