June 1, 2025: Pop icon and rising film star Ariana Grande is officially joining the cast of the long-awaited fourth installment in the Meet the Parents franchise, according to a report by Deadline. The 31-year-old, who has recently won praise for her role as Glinda in the upcoming Wicked film adaptation, will star alongside franchise regulars Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, and Blythe Danner.
The film, currently untitled, marks the franchise’s first return since 2010’s Little Fockers. Scheduled to hit theaters on November 25, 2026, the new movie will be penned by John Hamburg, who wrote the screenplays for all three previous entries: Meet the Parents (2000), Meet the Fockers (2004), and Little Fockers (2010).
While plot details are under wraps, fans are excited by the return of the quirky, awkward family dynamic and the comic chemistry between De Niro and Stiller. The movie will be produced by Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Productions and Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, with De Niro and Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal on board as producers.
Grande’s Growing Hollywood Footprint
Ariana Grande’s addition to the ensemble comes as she makes a serious move into the world of film. After minor appearances in Zoolander 2 and Don’t Look Up — in which she played a pop star named Riley — Grande is preparing for her biggest screen role yet as Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, set to release in 2025.
Speaking about her passion for acting, Grande recently told ScreenDaily,
“I would love to exist in this space for a while longer. I love finding characters that make people feel seen and human. I’d love to continue on this road.”
Fans are already speculating about her role in Meet the Parents 4, with some suggesting she might play a new family member or a love interest connected to the Focker family tree.
Release Date: November 25, 2026
Franchise History: Meet the Parents (2000) → Meet the Fockers (2004) → Little Fockers (2010)
New Cast Addition: Ariana Grande
Returning Stars: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner