John Hamburg

Biography

John Hamburg is an American screenwriter and director who defined the cringe-comedy aesthetic of the 2000s. A graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts, he first gained fame for co-writing "Meet the Parents" and "Zoolander" before establishing himself as a director with hits like "I Love You, Man" and "Along Came Polly". In 2026, Hamburg returns to his most successful sandbox. He is the writer and director of "Focker In-Law" (November 25, 2026), the fourth installment in the Meet the Parents franchise. The film reunites the original core cast—Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro—while introducing Ariana Grande as the new catalyst for the family's conflict. Hamburg, who wrote the first three films but previously only directed Little Fockers (reshoots) and other spinoff material, finally takes the helm of a main entry, promising to bring the series back to its grounded, character-driven roots. This major theatrical release follows his return to television in 2025, where he directed episodes of the Apple TV+ comedy series "Stick", starring his frequent collaborator Owen Wilson. He also recently directed the Netflix hit "Me Time" (2022) with Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg.