Greg Focker is now the father-in-law himself – the trailer for “My Wife, Our Daughter-in-Law and I” shows Stiller, De Niro and Ariana Grande in top form.
The family is growing – and with it the chaos: more than 25 years after the first film, the popular comedy series about Greg Focker and Jack Byrnes is back with a fourth part. Under the title “My wife, our daughter-in-law and I” the first trailer was presented at CinemaCon in Las Vegas – and by the main actors in person.
One stage, two generations
Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro used the opportunity on April 15, 2026 not only to show the first scenes, but also to play humorously with their own film history. Stiller noted with a wink that he was now about the age that De Niro was at the time of the first film in 2000 – and quickly declared himself the “new De Niro” of the series.
It was foreseeable that this pass would not go unanswered: De Niro came on stage and countered his colleague with mock seriousness. The comment that Stiller’s statement was “very disrespectful” caused laughter in the audience and made it clear that the chemistry between the two still works well – a basic requirement for the success of the film series.
Return of familiar faces
In addition to Stiller and De Niro, several well-known characters return. Owen Wilson, Teri Polo and Blythe Danner are once again part of the ensemble – a reunion that should trigger nostalgic reflexes among fans of the series.
Ariana Grande is new in a central role: she plays Olivia Jones, the self-confident girlfriend of Focker’s son Henry, and brings a breath of fresh air and her own dynamic to the already tense family constellation.
First glimpses of the trailer
The trailer for “Focker In-Law” begins with a classic homage: Jack Byrnes (De Niro) subjects Olivia (Grande) to a lie detector test – in the tradition of the earlier films. It quickly becomes clear that roles within the family are shifting.
In one scene, Greg Focker (Stiller) asks Olivia directly, “Do you think I’m holding Henry emotionally hostage?” – an absurd but typically over-the-top escalation of family conflicts. Olivia later confidently counters in front of the assembled family: “People underestimate me, but I was actually a hostage negotiator for the FBI.”
At the same time, the trailer shows how Greg becomes increasingly closer to his own father-in-law – and thus takes on exactly the role that Jack Byrnes once played.
The change becomes particularly clear in another scene: Greg challenges his future daughter-in-law to a bicycle race – and causes her to fall in the process. At this point it becomes clear that the once insecure son-in-law has now become a controlling patriarch himself.
Cinema release in late autumn
Behind the camera, John Hamburg takes over the direction for the first time – but he is no stranger to the “Focker” cosmos. He has already been involved in all of the previous scripts and knows the tone of the series exactly. His promotion to the director’s chair could prove to be a wise move to maintain the balance between classic humor and contemporary development.
It’s still a while away before audiences can see for themselves: The cinema release is scheduled for November 26, 2026. So there’s enough time to look through the previous films again.
