Stop the press! Actually, don’t. Print this in gold foil and mail it to your ex.
Ariana Grande — yes, that whistle-note-wielding, ponytail-whipping icon — is jumping headfirst into a cinematic circus of awkward family dinners, explosive lie detectors, and Robert De Niro’s legendary death stares. That’s right, the queen of vocal runs is officially starring in the FOURTH (yes, fourth — because Hollywood believes in never letting a good Focker die) Meet the Parents movie. 🎬
According to the sacred scrolls of The Hollywood Reporter, Ari will be sharing the screen with legendary eyebrow-raiser Robert De Niro and human anxiety attack Ben Stiller. The film is being developed by Universal Pictures, aka the same studio that thought, “You know what this world needs? More Fockers.”
Joining the party (if their agents ever hit “reply all”) are Blythe Danner and Teri Polo — your favorite WASPy mom and eternally stressed-out wife from the original trilogy. No contracts are signed yet, but sources say it’s looking promising (translation: they’re one catered brunch away from sealing the deal).
Let’s rewind:
- Meet the Parents (2000) — where it all began with a cat who uses the toilet and a circle of trust.
- Meet the Fockers (2004) — we met the in-laws, including a flamboyant Barbra Streisand and a bong-holding Dustin Hoffman.
- Little Fockers (2010) — yes, there were kids. Yes, De Niro injected Stiller with a needle to the heart. Peak cinema.
Now, Meet the Parents 4 is officially coming to theaters on November 25, 2026— just in time for Thanksgiving dinner awkwardness to feel even more real. The script is penned by John Hamburg, the mastermind behind the original trilogy’s chaos, and he’ll also be directing. Jay Roach, the OG director, has ascended to Producer Status, aka “I’ll be in the trailer eating grapes.”
Plot details? Top secret. CIA-level. But we’re praying it involves a musical number where Ariana hits a high note so powerful it makes De Niro blink twice.
This role marks Ari’s first cinematic outing since she Glinda’d her way to an Oscar-nominated performance in Wicked (2024) — and don’t forget the sequel, Wicked: For Good, still gliding down a sparkly bubble to theaters later this year.
So grab your lie detectors, practice saying “Focker” without giggling, and brace yourselves. The Focker family tree just got a lot more fabulous.
🍸✨ Your move, Meryl.
