Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Teri Polo and Blythe Danner are set to reprise their roles in the fourth installment of Meet the Parents. Deadline reports the movie is in early development with Universal Pictures. Plot details are being kept under wraps. John Hamburg — who co-wrote all three of its predecessors – is set to write the screenplay.
Jane Rosenthal and De Niro will produce through Tribeca Productions. Jay Roach — who directed the first two films and produced all three past installments — will also produce through Delirious Media. Stiller and John Lesher will also produce through Red Hour Films. Executive Vice President of Production Development Matt Reilly and Director of Production Development Jacqueline Garell will oversee the movie for Universal Pictures.
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Meet the Parents follows the unique dynamics between male nurse Greg Focker (Stiller) and his intimidating, ex-CIA father-in-law, Jack Byrnes (De Niro). Greg marries Jack’s daughter, Pam (Polo), and has children with her on the follow up. The dynamics between the in-laws are explored in the franchise.
Meet the Parents was released to critical acclaim, grossing over $330 million worldwide, becoming the seventh highest grossing film globally the year it was released. It’s follow ups, Meet the Fockers (2004) and Little Fockers (2010), followed and were also box office successes, grossing over $1.13 billion.
Working with De Niro for the first time proved to be intimidating for Stiller. In an interview with Today celebrating the film’s 20th anniversary, Stiller recalled their first meeting.
“I remember the first day that we shot together,” he said at the time. “I think it was the scene where we meet for the first time at the doorstep. I said something like, ‘Oh, this is a nice house’ or something, and I kind of looked up at the house, and Bob saw me look up and he like looked behind him like ‘What am I looking at?’”
He continued: “And he reacted, and I cracked up in his face. Just started laughing. And then started sweating because I’m like, ‘I can’t believe I’m breaking character on the first scene, the first line. He’s going to think I’m the worst.’ But then there was a moment where he smiled and I then felt, ‘OK, it’s alright.’ But from then on, I never felt any more comfortable actually.”
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US film director and producer Roger Corman speaks on stage to present the Grand Prix during the closing ceremony of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 27, 2023. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
