Ariana Grande is expanding her acting career with a leading role in the fourth installment of Meet the Parents, starring alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro.
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the pop superstar-turned-Wicked actress will join the latest chapter of this beloved comedy franchise. Universal Pictures has scheduled the reunion of the Focker and Byrnes families for November 25, 2026.
Stiller and De Niro are officially returning for their fourth on-screen clash as feuding in-laws. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo, who appeared in all three previous films, are also expected to reprise their roles, though THR notes they are still in final negotiations. While specific plot details are largely under wraps, one key storyline will focus on the son of Polo and Stiller's characters, who becomes engaged to a strong-willed woman considered entirely unsuitable for him. Sources confirm Grande will portray the fiancée.
Behind the camera, Meet the Parents 4 will be written and directed by John Hamburg, a longtime contributor to the series. Jay Roach, who directed the original trilogy, has joined the project as a producer alongside Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal through Tribeca Productions. Ben Stiller is also producing via Red Hour Films with John Lesher, while Hamburg will produce through Particular Pictures. Universal's Matt Reilly and Jacqueline Garell will oversee production for the studio.
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While primarily celebrated as a musical artist with seven studio albums to her name, Grande has recently made significant strides in acting. Her most recent musical project, 2024's Eternal Sunshine, preceded her acclaimed supporting role in last fall's Wicked adaptation. The Wizard of Oz-inspired musical film received widespread critical and audience praise, earning Grande an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Galinda/Glinda. She will return for the sequel, Wicked: For Good, scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.
For additional reading, explore our guide to the most anticipated films arriving in 2025. You can also revisit our original Meet the Parents review, where we awarded the film an 8/10 score upon its initial release in 2000.
