Ben Stiller admits third Meet the Parents film failed to meet expectations

• Ben Stiller admitted that the third film in the franchise was a disappointment.
• The actor appeared at CinemaCon to reveal the first trailer for Focker-In-Law.
• Ariana Grande joins the cast as a suspicious bride-to-be for the November release.
  

Hollywood actor Ben Stiller has candidly addressed the shortcomings of the Meet the Parents franchise while promoting the upcoming sequel, Focker-In-Law.

During an interaction on the social media platform X on Thursday, the Emmy-winning star admitted that the 2010 third instalment, Little Fockers, failed to live up to the standard of its predecessors.

When a fan enquired if viewing the entire series was necessary to appreciate the fourth film, Stiller offered a blunt assessment of the franchise's history.

"No! But I stand by the first two," Stiller wrote, referring to the original 2000 hit and its 2004 follow-up, Meet the Fockers.

When pressed on what exactly went wrong with the third chapter, the actor offered a diplomatic yet telling response: "We always try. Fully."

The comments surfaced shortly after Stiller and co-star Robert De Niro appeared at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to debut the first trailer for the Universal Pictures production, which is scheduled to premiere in cinemas on 25 November.

The new narrative follows the nuptials of Greg and Pam’s grown son, Henry, played by Skyler Gisondo. The plot introduces Ariana Grande as the bride-to-be, Olivia, who finds herself at odds with her future father-in-law.

Although Robert De Niro’s character, Jack, puts Olivia through his signature lie detector test, the trailer suggests the newcomer may be hiding secrets from the "circle of trust."

Stiller, who rose to fame as a comedic powerhouse in the late nineties, continues to balance his legacy roles with his work as an acclaimed director and producer.