The Meet the Parents franchise is finally returning to the big screen after remaining dormant for 15 years. In 2000, the comedy starring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro took audiences by storm, eventually leading to two more sequels, Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010). Now, a fourth installment is on the way, and another major star from the original films is set to reprise their scene-stealing role.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Stick star Owen Wilson is set to reprise his role as Kevin Rawley in Meet the Parents 4. He joins a star-studded cast that features Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo and Ariana Grande. Wilson made his debut as Pam’s ex-fiancé Kevin in the 2000 film, before coming back in a supporting capacity for the two Fockers sequels. The scribe behind the past three installments, John Hamburg, is back to write and direct the next follow-up. The comedy sequel is set to hit theaters on Nov. 25, 2026.
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The original Meet the Parents followed Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) intending to propose to his girlfriend, Pam Brynes (Teri Polo), but things get complicated (and hilarious) when he intends to get her parents’ blessing. Robert De Niro plays Jack Byrnes, Pam’s father, who also happens to be an ex-CIA agent and a Vietnam War veteran. As one would naturally expect, Jack is an overprotective parent, which leads to him butting heads with Greg. Subsequent sequels followed the family expanding after Greg and Pam got married. According to THR, the plot for Meet the Parents 4 revolves around Stiller’s son and his fiancée, played by Grande, who is described as a “ball-busting woman.”
“While much of the plot for the new installment remains under lock and key, The Hollywood Reporter can reveal that one story point revolves around the son of Stiller and Polo’s characters, who gets engaged to a ball-busting woman who seems all wrong for him. Grande will play the fiancée.”
‘Meet the Parents’ Producer Reveals Script Update
Meet the Parents producer Jane Rosenthal was recently asked about the script for Meet the Parents 4, which was developed by the trilogy’s original scribe, John Hamburg. Rosenthal could not reveal any details about the plot, but she teased switching up the franchise formula. “Ben Stiller is now the same age that Bob [Robert De Niro] was when we did the first one, and his kids have grown up, and they have to come home and meet the parents,” Rosenthal stated. She then discussed the script, which she says was a result of the “change” in what kind of jokes society accepts nowadays.
“Well, that’s asking me about the script — so I can’t tell you. One of the things that’s changed, though, is that what’s happened in our society means there are jokes you can’t tell anymore. And you have to think about who’s going to have issues with a joke now. The second movie was called Meet the Fockers. I don’t know if you could call it that today.
“I haven’t had that conversation [about a theatrical release] with [NBCUniversal chief] Donna Langley, and I don’t know if Ben has had that conversation, but there is nothing like being in a theater and laughing. It becomes a roaring laugh. It doesn’t happen on an airplane, and it doesn’t happen at home with just a couple of people. I really miss that kind of laughter.”
Meet the Parents 4 is set to hit theaters on Nov. 25, 2026.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
