Skyler Gisondo Joins New ‘Meet the Parents’ Movie

Skyler Gisondo Joins New ‘Meet the Parents’ Movie

by | Jul 28, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

  • Skyler Gisondo is joining the new ‘Meet the Parents’ movie.
  • He’s playing Ben Stiller’s character’s son.
  • The film is titled ‘Focker-in-Law’.

    And so, we have another Focker.

Yes, while technically, we met the kids of Ben Stiller’s Gaylord “Greg” Focker and Teri Polo’s Pam in ‘Little Fockers’, with the fourth movie –– now officially titled ‘Focker-in-Law’–– in pre-production, the team has found someone to play the grown version of Henry, their son.

Skyler Gisondo, currently on screens in ‘Superman’, is in talks to play the part.

Focker-In-Law

The fourth installment in the franchise. Plot TBA. Read the Plot

John Hamburg, who wrote all three previous movies has not only come back to tackle the screenplay again, but will direct the new entry.

Related Article: ‘Wicked’s Ariana Grande Joins Cast of the New ‘Meet the Parents’ Movie

What’s the story of ‘Focker-in-Law’?

(L to R) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in 'Meet the Parents'. Photo: Universal Pictures.

(L to R) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in ‘Meet the Parents’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Much of the new movie’s exact narrative remains under wraps, but we do know it’ll focus on a potential new addition to the family –– Ariana Grande has the role of Henry’s fiancée, an alpha type who would likely mesh well with Greg Focker’s imposing father-in-law, Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro).

Confirmed as returning so far for this one are Stiller, Polo, De Niro, Blythe Danner (as Pam’s mother, Dina) and Owen Wilson as Kevin Rawley, Greg’s former rival for Pam’s affections.

There’s no word yet on whether Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand will be back as Greg’s sex-positive parents.

Where else can we see Skyler Gisondo?

Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen in DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “SUPERMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen in DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “SUPERMAN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC.

Apart from being part of one of the biggest movie currently in theaters (‘Superman’, in case you forgot us mentioning it in the intro), Gisondo has been seen in a few movies of late, including ‘Licorice Pizza’, ‘The Starling’ and ‘The Binge’.

TV-wise, he’s popped up in the likes of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ and animated comedy ‘Krapopolis’.

But perhaps most pertinent to this new potential job is that he has form playing the son of a Ben Stiller character –– he’s Nick Daley, Larry’s (Stiller) kid in 2014’s ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’.

We predict far fewer exhibits will come to life in this new comedy, though De Niro’s character does act like an angry dinosaur from time to time…

When will ‘Focker-in-Law’ hit theaters?

Universal previously announced that the movie will be out for Thanksgiving next year, planting a flag in November 25th, 2026.

(L to R) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in 'Little Fockers'. Photo: Universal Pictures.

(L to R) Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in ‘Little Fockers’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

List of Movies in the ‘Meet the Parents’ Franchise:

Buy ‘Meet the Parents’ Movies On Amazon

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-28 16:45:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-28 16:45:00

by | Jul 28, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

we failed you, “Thunderbolts*”), we have seen the most sincere and earnest superhero movies in years come out in a short timespan. Though many fans would like to think DC and Marvel are polar opposites, more often than not, they reflect one another. At the very least, that’s the case with James Gunn’s “Superman” and the new, more hopeful, optimistic, and cosmic take on Marvel’s first family in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”

Though the two movies are very different — one kickstarts its cinematic universe, the other brings it closer to a supposed reset — they nevertheless have more in common than you’d think. They are both reboots of iconic superheroes — Superman and a reinvention of the Human Torch both being the very first superheroes of DC and Marvel — that are hugely important to the history of their respective comic book publishers, and each has gone through poorly received and unsuccessful movies in the past 20 years. But their time in the sun has come at last.

A world that’s already super

The Fantastic Four standing behind a giant sign with their logo in Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel Studios

Like James Gunn’s “Superman,” the new “Fantastic Four” movie throws us off the deep end and into a fully realized world of heroes. At the start of the movie, the Fantastic Four have already been active for four years (three in the case of Superman) and the movie spends a lot of time exploring just how much he world has changed due to their impact. Granted, the Fantastic Four seem to be the only superpowered individuals in this world — unlike “Superman” which has been populated by metahumans for centuries — but this is nevertheless a world that has already seen plenty of big superhero stories. The movie begins with a montage exploring the history of the heroic family and every one of the many villains they have defeated over the years — from the hilarious Mole Man to Red Ghost and his Super-Apes.

This means that the movie proper can focus on the heroes facing a big personal crisis that interrogates their place in the world rather than just showing them learning the ropes. Everyone has complete control over their powers, and the tension comes from them having to face the very first threat they can’t just fight easily. Similarly, when we first meet Clark Kent in “Superman” he’s already earned the world’s love and admiration, and he’s very confident in his abilities. That the movie begins mere minutes after his vey first defeat means the character goes through an existential crisis and ponders what his place in the world is, especially after he learns that his parents wanted him to rule over Earth.

Indeed, both movies throw philosophical questions at the heroes through their own character dynamics. In “Superman,” we see Lois and Clark arguing about whether Superman should interfere in foreign affairs, what authority a superhero really has, and whether doing good supersedes proper protocol — and the tension these conversations create has an impact on their romance. In “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” Sue and Reed argue over what responsibility their “family” has to the world and whether that responsibility is more important than their commitment to each other.

Caring for normal people

Ben Grimm lifting a car in Fantastic Four: First Steps

Marvel Studios

To that point, both movies have a big focus on showing the impact their heroes have on everyday people, and showing that everyday people interact with the heroes. This is something that’s been solely missing from the superhero genre. Back in the very, very early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. this was an important part of the movies, as we saw the heroes saving regular people all the time, getting them to safety, and offering comfort while their worlds crumbled around them. Nowadays, that’s almost entirely lost, with the stakes so high that there is simply no room to care about individuals — which is why “Thunderbolts*” felt so refreshing, and emotionally devastating.

“Fantastic Four: First Steps” continues that with a big focus on the relationship between the titular group and the public, with crowds gathering on the streets to cheer for the heroes when they leave Earth to find a way to stop Galactus or to boo them when they fail to do so. We see more of them actually saving people throughout the story than actually beating up villains (in no small part due to Galactus simply being too big a threat to beat up, literally). Likewise, all throughout “Superman” we see Clark go out of his way to prevent any damage from coming to people, saving kids from rubble, saving a dog and even a squirrel from being crushed by a space kaiju. This approach makes the heroes seem both more approachable and also truly heroic.

One of the best sequences in all of “Fantastic Four: First Steps” involves Ben being greeted and cheered on by a group of kids who want him to lift a car (and then throw it). Meanwhile, a citizen in Superman was honored by a time when the Big Blue Boy Scout stopped by his food cart for some tasty eats. Forget fighting the big bad guy, this is what it means to have superheroes.

‘I Respect Gene Roddenberry’s Candor’: Star Trek’s George Takei Explained Why The Original Series Never Explored LGBTQ Issues

‘I Respect Gene Roddenberry’s Candor’: Star Trek’s George Takei Explained Why The Original Series Never Explored LGBTQ Issues

by | Jul 28, 2025 | Cinemablend News, News

‘I Respect Gene Roddenberry’s Candor’: Star Trek’s George Takei Explained Why The Original Series Never Explored LGBTQ Issues

Running from 1966 to 1969, Star Trek: The Original Series was one of the most progressive TV shows of its time, and is still fondly looked back on for the way it explored many political and social topics. However, the sci-fi TV show never delved into LGBTQ issues during its three-season run. According to George Takei, this wasn’t due to a lack of interest from TOS creator Gene Roddenberry, but rather because he was concerned about it would impact the series’ run.

Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series, the six TOS movies and an episode of Star Trek: Voyager (all of which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription), chatted about this on The Sackhoff Show. The actor, who came out as gay in 2005, recalled how one day, he was swimming in the pool at Gene Roddenberry’s house and told the man who brought Star Trek to the masses how much he admired that the show was touching on subjects like the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. Takei then asked if Roddenberry would consider exploring LGBT equality on TOS, and here’s how the rest of the conversation went:

And [Roddenberry] said, ‘Yes I’m aware of that, but you remember the show in which we had Kirk kiss Uhura?’ A Black and white kiss, first ever in American television. And he said, ‘That show was the lowest rated of all the shows that we made. The ratings just plummeted on that show because many of the Southern stations refuse to air it because of the Black/white kiss. I’ve been dealing with a lot of controversial issues, and if I deal with the LGBTQ issue, that will further push our ratings down, and I’m walking a tight rope as I am and I want to keep the show on. I can’t do that. I’ve got to keep the show on the air.’

James T. Kirk and Uhura kissing in the episode “Plato’s Stepchildren” was indeed an historical moment, as this was the first interracial kiss depicted on American television. It helped break down a major small screen barrier, but then as Gene Roddenberry informed Takei, the episode didn’t air in many Southern stations in the United States because of that one moment. Roddenberry felt that if Star Trek started touching on LGBTQ issues as well, that would be pushing the show’s luck too far. Takei continued:

Star Trek: Discovery featuring two of its principal characters in an openly gay relationship. It’s also worth mentioning that in the Kelvin timeline, John Cho’s Hikaru Sulu was revealed to be gay in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, though George Takei didn’t approve of this creative decision.

‘Shrek’ Donkey Spinoff Movie Firmly Happening, Eddie Murphy Says

‘Shrek’ Donkey Spinoff Movie Firmly Happening, Eddie Murphy Says

by | Jul 28, 2025 | Articles, Hollywood Reporter Articles

‘Shrek’ Donkey Spinoff Movie Firmly Happening, Eddie Murphy Says

Eddie Murphy let slip some major Shrek news during a new interview.

The 64-year-old comedy icon was promoting his upcoming film The Pickup when he was asked about his upcoming role in Shrek 5. Murphy said he’s currently recording the DreamWorks release, but is then going to start recording dialogue for a Shrek spinoff film centered around his beloved Donkey character.

“We’re still in the booth, and literally, we’re still doing Shrek,” he told Screenrant. “We start in September on Donkey — we’re doing a Donkey one, and that’ll [be released] three years from now. But we’re about two years into Shrek 5. Still in the booth and about to start Donkey in September.”

Continued Murphy: “Donkey‘s going to be like how Puss in Boots had his own movie, Donkey’s going to have his own movie — [his] own little story with his dragon wife and his kids that are half-dragon and half-donkeys. They’ve written this funny story. We’re doing that, starting that in September.”

Murphy has teased a Donkey movie in the past, but these are his most substantive comments yet.

DreamWorks had no comment, but a spinoff around the fan-favorite character certainly sounds like a viable project — especially given the box office success of the two Puss in Boots spinoff films (2011’s Puss in Boots and 2022’s stellar Puss in Boots: The Last Wish).

Donkey has been the giant green orge’s sidekick starting with the 2001 original, and continuing through three more films.

Murphy’s The Pickup is a heist action comedy coming to Prime Video that’s directed by Tim Story and stars Murphy, Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson. In the film, a pair of mismatched armored truck drivers (Murphy and Davidson) find their routine cash pickup escalating into chaotic mayhem when they’re ambushed by ruthless criminals led by the savvy mastermind (Palmer). The film will be released on Aug. 6.

Happy Gilmore 2 Paid Tribute To So Many Famous Names Who Have Passed, But Eagle-Eyed Viewers Are Spotting One I Definitely Would Have Missed

Happy Gilmore 2 Paid Tribute To So Many Famous Names Who Have Passed, But Eagle-Eyed Viewers Are Spotting One I Definitely Would Have Missed

by | Jul 28, 2025 | Cinemablend News, News

One of the most surprising themes in the recently released Happy Gilmore 2 has to be loss. With the 2025 movie paying tribute to legacy cast members who are no longer with us, there’s a fair amount of heartbreak mixed in with the laughs. However, there’s an easter egg in an early scene from Adam Sander’s Netflix subscription driver I totally didn’t spot – until fans started to point it out.

As Happy Gilmore decides to try to golf again in his Netflix revival, there’s a moment where a golf shack attendant is watching some TV. On first blush you wouldn’t think much of it, but a user from Twitter made a discovery that spotted this inclusion of the late Cameron Boyce:

Cameron Boyce shown on a TV in Happy Gilmore 2.

(Image credit: Netflix)

According to another report from Parade, the moment included in Happy Gilmore 2 was identified as coming from an episode of the Disney Channel series Jessie. Seemingly pulled from Season 2, Episode 11, “A Pain in the Rear Window,” the sequence shows a young Boyce spying on a neighbor with a pair of binoculars.

Adam Sandler’s son in the Grown Ups movies, Cameron Boyce’s untimely passing in 2019 was a shock to fans who had also followed his career through other Disney Channel originals like the Descendants movies. Through the years Sandler and others have offered fond memories in the honor of Boyce, providing a loving reminder that this talent gone before his time is still very much in people’s hearts.

This is yet another entry into the bittersweet lineup of references to Happy Gilmore actors who’ve passed over time, but whose presence can still be felt in the new picture. Our own Corey Chichizola even spoke to the cast about Happy Gilmore 2’s touching memorials, a conversation that highlighted how Happy and nemesis Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) takes place in a graveyard that literally highlights those dearly departed friends.

Carlos (Cameron Boyce) appeals to Uma in Descendants 3

(Image credit: Disney+)

I don’t think anyone would have expected the return of Happy Gilmore to be this reflective on mortality. Then again, the story about how rewrites prompted by Carl Weathers’ passing changed Happy Gilmore 2 from its original form does make a lot more sense now. Which only makes Adam Sandler saving a special spot for Cameron Boyce’s memory even more appropriate.

What could have been a return to just jackassing around on a golf course got a little bit deeper over time. Which means that the Happy Gilmore 2 you were expecting might not be the movie you meet on your streaming device of choice.

That may be part of why the critical reception for the picture has been a mixed bag, so keep that in mind as you make your way to the fairway. For those with an open mind, Adam Sandler and company have teed up this experience decades in the making, only on Netflix.