a meet the parents sequel, which is either the strangest career move available to her or the most obviously correct one.
the short answer
focker in-law, the fourth meet the parents film, released on 25 november 2026. she plays olivia jones, a triathlete dating ben stiller's character's son — which puts stiller in robert de niro's original position and grande in stiller's. john hamburg directs. it is her first screen role since wicked and her first outright comedy since scream queens.
the film
the fourth entry in the meet the parents series, twenty-six years after the first, with ben stiller, robert de niro, owen wilson, teri polo and blythe danner returning and skyler gisondo and beanie feldstein joining. john hamburg, who wrote the first two, directs. it is dated 25 november 2026 in the united states.
the structural joke is neat: stiller's greg focker is now the suspicious older man vetting an unsuitable partner for his own son, and grande's olivia is the one being vetted. the entire premise of the franchise is inverted and the cast list is the punchline.
why this and not another musical
because it is the harder thing to prove she can do. after wicked the obvious offers were musicals, and taking one would have confirmed the reading of her as a singer who acts in films where singing is required. an ensemble studio comedy with no songs in it does not have that escape route: either the timing works or it does not.
everything else that was on the slate
- american horror story, season 13. announced in late 2025, exited in july 2026 over a scheduling conflict with the tour. she shot no scenes and the season proceeded without her.
- sunday in the park with george, barbican theatre. announced with jonathan bailey for 2027. she withdrew in august 2026. the production is going ahead.
- oh, the places you'll go. jon m. chu's dr. seuss adaptation for warner bros., which she leads with josh gad. dated 17 march 2028 — the only confirmed date anywhere in her future. see the voice roles piece.
two of those three disappeared in the same summer, and they disappeared for the same reason: the break she announced in august 2026. focker in-law survives because it was already shot.
which leaves an odd position
a finished studio comedy, dated for late november, belonging to an actor who has said she is stepping back from public-facing work from september. how a film like that gets promoted without its most newsworthy cast member on a carpet is a real question and nobody has answered it publicly.
beyond it there is nothing scheduled. the full filmography covers what came before, and the screen section has every credit with where to watch it.
questions people ask
what is ariana grande's next movie?
focker in-law, the fourth meet the parents film, released 25 november 2026. she plays olivia jones.
who else is in focker in-law?
ben stiller, robert de niro, owen wilson, teri polo, blythe danner, skyler gisondo and beanie feldstein. john hamburg directs.
is ariana grande in american horror story?
no. she was announced for season 13 in late 2025 and exited in july 2026 over a scheduling conflict. she shot no scenes.
does ariana grande have any films after focker in-law?
one — oh, the places you'll go, jon m. chu's animated dr. seuss adaptation, dated 17 march 2028. she leads the voice cast with josh gad.