Ariana Grande's Next Film Is a Total Surprise
After the roaring success that was Wicked: Part One, Ariana Grande is at last committed to her next cinematic endeavor—and though the project comes from Wicked's studio home, it perhaps isn't the most obvious choice for a recent Oscar nominee and global pop icon. Nevertheless, make no mistake...Grande recognizes beloved IP when she sees it. Thus her latest news: The 'we can't be friends' singer will join the cast of the next Meet the Parents sequel, set to drop in 2026.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Meet the Parents, which starred Ben Stiller as Greg Focker, who meets his girlfriend's parents, Jack (Robert De Niro) and Dina Byrnes (Teri Polo) over an eventful wedding weekend on Long Island. The comedy was a box-office success later followed by Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010), helping the franchise gross $1.13 billion worldwide in total, per Deadline.
Universal is currently keeping Grande's character and the film's plot specifics—as well as its title—under wraps. But Deadline confirms that much of the original cast will return for the next outing, including Stiller, De Niro, Polo, and Blythe Danner. John Hamburg, who co-wrote the three Meet the Parents predecessors, will write the script as well as direct.
According to Deadline, 'Grande has had her fair share of scripts come her way' in Wicked's wake. 'Ultimately,' the outlet reported, 'her strong ties to the studio led her back to the lot on a project Universal is excited about.'
The Meet the Parents sequel is set to launch on Nov. 25, 2026, almost exactly a year after Wicked's sequel, Wicked: For Good, drops this fall. When it comes to Universal, Grande certainly seems to think there's no place like home.
This story will be updated.
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