Ariana Grande’s first movie afterWickedhas been revealed, and it’s a great move for her. Though the actor started her career as a teenager in the 2008 Broadway musical13, she rose to fame for her role asCat Valentine on the Nickelodeon sitcomVictorious(2010–2013), followed by its spin-off,Sam & Cat(2013–2014). From there, her focus shifted to her music career as she enjoyed a rapid ascent as a pop star with chart-topping hits like “The Way,” “Thank U, Next,” and “Bang Bang.”
Though she returned to movies in 2021 with Adam McKay’sDon’t Look Up, it was in 2024 that Grande garnered critical acclaim for her performance asGlinda inWicked, based on the Broadway musical, making great use of her incredible vocal range. She will return as Glinda inWicked: For Good, which will adapt the second half of the stage show and is set for release on November 21. However,Grande already has a new role lined up, and it’s a great choice for her first film afterWicked.
Meet The Parents 4 Will Be Ariana Grande’s First Movie After Wicked & Wicked: For Good
She Joins Original Stars Robert De Niro & Ben Stiller
Though a fourth film has been in development for years, a recent report revealed thatGrande has joined the cast ofMeet the Parents 4,marking her first movie afterWickedandWicked: For Goodreleases this November. She becomes part of an ensemble cast that already includes original stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner, and Teri Polo. John Hamburg, who co-wrote the first three films, will write and direct the new installment.
Meet the Parents 4is tentatively scheduled for release in late November 2026, coinciding with Thanksgiving week that year, which is almost exactly one year after whenWicked: For Goodwill be releasedin theaters. Though overall plot details remain under wraps, it is reported thatGrande will play the fiancée of Stiller’s character’s son, who is described as a tough and domineering woman who appears to be a poor match for him.
Wicked Proved How Great Ariana Grande Is As A Comedic Presence
There Are A Lot Of Layers To Her Performance As Glinda
Grande’s performance as Glinda inWickedproved how great she is as a comedic presence. While she has long been known for her powerhouse vocal prowess,Wickedshowcased just how instinctively funny she can be. Her timing is razor-sharp, her facial expressions perfectly exaggerated, and she brings a natural buoyancy to nearly every scene. Her comedic delivery – playful, precise, and never forced – made Glinda both hilarious and incredibly endearing to audiences.
Much of Glinda’s charm comes from Grande’s ability to oscillate between vanity, vulnerability, and utter ridiculousness…
What madeGrande such a great comedic presence inWickedis her layered performance as Glinda,which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She doesn’t just play for laughs, as much of Glinda’s charm comes from Grande’s ability to oscillate between vanity, vulnerability, and utter ridiculousness without ever missing a beat.Wickedproved that comedy isn’t just something that Grande can do, but it’s something she excels at and should pursue more in the future.
Meet The Parents 4 Can Help Cement Ariana Grande As A Modern Comedic Star
It Should Showcase A Different Side To Her Comedic Range
By joining a genre-defining franchise alongside heavyweights likeStiller and De Niro,Meet the Parents 4can help cement Grande as a modern comedic star. She’s reportedly playing a “ball-busting” fiancée who seems all wrong for her partner, which shouldgive her the perfect platform to lean into a more bold and exaggerated style of humor, while hopefully tapping into the same charm and nuance she brought to her Oscar-nominated performance inWicked.
Joining a film franchise centered around awkward family dynamics and escalating absurdity gives Grande the perfect opportunity to showcase a different side of her comedic range. If she can bring the same blend of sharp wit and emotional depth that she used to redefine Glinda, her performance could result in a different kind of breakout, this time in straight comedy.Meet the Parents 4might just be the movie that cementsGrandeas a full-fledged comedic star.
Meet the Parents 4is scheduled for release on July 15, 2025.
Ariana Grande
Discover the latest news and filmography for Ariana Grande, known for Victorious and Sam & Cat.
Meet the Parents
Cast
Ben Stiller stars in Meet the Parents as Greg Focker, a male nurse who attempts to gain the sympathy of his girlfriend’s parents when meeting them for the first time. Robert De Niro and Teri Polo co-star alongside Stiller in the 2000 comedy, which spawned two sequels: Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers.
