Sophia Bush has a knack for picking projects that feel like a warm hug or a gut punch. Sometimes both at once. If you’ve been following her lately, you know she’s been in a bit of a "transformation era." But while the headlines have been swirling about her personal life and that much-hyped One Tree Hill sequel at Netflix, there’s a specific project she just wrapped that’s flying a bit under the radar for casual fans.
Broad Trip is the Sophia Bush new movie that everyone’s going to be talking about by the time May rolls around.
It is a road trip comedy. It is chaotic. Honestly, it sounds like the spiritual successor to the Lorelai and Rory dynamic, but with the roles flipped in a way that’s honestly kind of genius. Bush plays Alice, a daughter who is—to put it mildly—a bit high-strung. She’s the one with the spreadsheets and the five-year plan. Opposite her is Lauren Holly, playing Jeanie, the mom who basically treats life like one long, unscripted bachelorette party.
The plot kicks off because Jeanie is about to marry a guy she barely knows (played by Steve Guttenberg, which is a casting choice I didn't know I needed until now). Alice decides she has to stop the wedding. Naturally, they end up trapped in a car together.
What Makes Broad Trip Different From Her Past Roles?
Most of us still see Sophia Bush and think of Brooke Davis’s growth or Erin Lindsay’s grit in Chicago P.D. This feels like a pivot. It's lighter, but it’s still got that "Sophia Bush" DNA—that focus on complicated women and the messes they make.
The movie is a Roku Original, which might sound surprising to some, but it’s part of a bigger trend. Streamers are leaning hard into these mid-budget, high-concept comedies that big studios stopped making years ago. Bush isn't just the star here; she’s an executive producer.
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"As a kid who grew up watching classic '90s comedies and yearns for more, the moment I read this script, I said yes," Bush recently told Variety.
She’s basically trying to bring back the "feel-good but real" vibe of films like The Birdcage or Father of the Bride.
The Cast and Crew Behind the Camera
- Lauren Holly: The perfect foil for Bush’s "straight-man" character.
- Steve Guttenberg: Playing the impulsive fiancé.
- Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe: Directing the madness.
- Chelsea Davison: The writer and EP who actually understands how mothers and daughters bicker.
Why Everyone is Calling it the New Gilmore Girls
The comparison to Gilmore Girls isn't just lazy marketing. It’s about the energy. You have the fast-talking dialogue and the specific brand of "comfort food" television that people crave during a mid-week slump.
But there’s a twist. In Stars Hollow, Rory was the "good" one and Lorelai was the "fun" one. In Broad Trip, that dynamic is pushed to an extreme. Alice (Bush) is so buttoned-up it’s almost a liability, while Jeanie (Holly) is the one causing the scenes. Seeing Bush play the "uptight" one is going to be a fun change of pace for fans used to her playing the cool, confident leader.
Beyond the Comedy: The "Stranger in My Home" Connection
If you’re looking for the Sophia Bush new movie and you’re not in the mood for a laugh, you might be thinking of her other recent project, The Stranger in My Home.
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Released digitally via Republic Pictures (a Paramount label) in late 2025, this one is the total opposite of a road trip comedy. It’s a psychological thriller based on Adele Parks’s bestseller. Bush plays Ali, a woman whose life is dismantled when a man (Chris Carmack) shows up claiming her teenage daughter was switched at birth.
It's dark. It's heavy. It’s about the "unbreakable bond" of motherhood, but through a lens of fear instead of fun. It’s worth mentioning because it shows the range she’s hitting right now. One minute she’s doing slapstick in a car with Lauren Holly, and the next she’s dealing with a parent’s worst nightmare.
When and Where Can You Watch?
Broad Trip is slated for a May 2026 debut.
You won’t find this one in theaters. It’s a Roku Channel exclusive. If you haven't used Roku’s original programming yet, they’ve been quietly building a library that caters exactly to this demographic—people who miss 2000s-era rom-coms and family dramas.
Production has already wrapped, meaning we’re just waiting on a trailer. Usually, Roku drops those about 6-8 weeks before the premiere, so keep your eyes peeled for a teaser around March.
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How to Stay Updated on Sophia’s 2026 Projects
If you want to stay in the loop, don't just wait for the algorithm.
Follow the official Roku Instagram account, as they’ll likely be the first to drop the Broad Trip teaser. Also, if you’re a fan of the deeper "why" behind her career choices, check out her Work In Progress podcast. She’s been surprisingly open lately about shifting into more producing roles and choosing projects that reflect her own "personal transformation."
Between this movie and the One Tree Hill sequel in development at Netflix, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the "Bush-naissance." It’s a good time to be a fan.
Actionable Next Steps:
Keep an eye on the Roku Channel’s "New Releases" section starting in April. If you want to see her thriller side before the comedy drops, The Stranger in My Home is currently available on most digital platforms for rent or purchase.