Ariana Grande Joins Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro in ‘Meet the Parents 4’

Fresh off her Oscar-nominated role in ‘Wicked,’ Grande steps into a comedic role as the fiancée of Greg Focker’s son in the upcoming sequel, slated for a Thanksgiving 2026 release.

After earning an Oscar nomination for her role in Wicked, global pop sensation Ariana Grande has found her next major acting project—this time in comedy. Grande is officially joining the cast of Meet the Parents 4, the next installment in Universal’s wildly successful franchise. She’ll be starring alongside comedy veterans Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, with the film slated for release on November 25, 2026.

Grande will play the fiancée of the grown-up son of Greg Focker (Stiller) and Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo), a sharp-tongued character who reportedly doesn’t quite fit in with the Focker family dynamic. While specific plot details are under wraps, sources suggest the storyline will center around the younger generation introducing their significant others to the famously intense parents—a callback to the original film’s premise.

Teri Polo and Blythe Danner, who played key roles in the original trilogy, are expected to return, though their deals have yet to be finalized. The film will be directed by John Hamburg, who also penned the script and co-wrote the first three films. Original director Jay Roach is attached as a producer.

The Meet the Parents series began in 2000 with a runaway hit that hilariously explored the nerve-wracking dynamics between a man and his would-be father-in-law. The film propelled Ben Stiller into comedy superstardom and gave De Niro a chance to parody his own tough-guy image. The first movie earned over $330 million globally, becoming the seventh-highest grossing film of its release year.

The sequels—Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010)—introduced new characters played by Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand and collectively pushed the franchise’s total global box office earnings to more than $1.13 billion.

Grande’s casting brings a fresh energy to the iconic comedy series and marks her return to acting in a high-profile role. She’ll be appearing just weeks after the release of Wicked: Part Two, further cementing her status as a serious force in both music and film.

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