History Trivia / MeetTheParents

!!For the Hollywood film trilogy:

!!For the 1992 independent film:
* AbsurdlyShortProductionTime: It took Greg Glienna one month to write the original 80-page script.
* CaliforniaDoubling: Initially averted when we first see Greg and Pam driving together because they're from Chicago, and filming took place in and around Chicago. Played straight thereafter because Fay mentions that she desires to move out of Indiana, where she still lives with her parents.
* NoBudget: In an interview, Glienna alluded to making the film on a $35,000 budget, wishing he could have had an extra $100,000 to add more convincing cinematography, lighting, etc.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Several people contacted Greg Glienna and producer James Vincent after ''Meet the Parents'''s release, wishing the director and producer could have incorporated experiences like theirs into the film.
** Bingo the dog wasn't supposed to drown in a lake while chasing after a stick thrown by Greg at first. He was scripted to retrieve the stick without fail several times, only to jump out the Burns family car window later to chase after a popsicle stick thrown by Greg (which likely would have resulted in the dog being killed by oncoming traffic). This would have been the second way in which Fay, the popsicle eater, indirectly gets Greg into trouble, the first being her planting marijuana cigarettes in his luggage.

** Bingo the dog wasn't supposed to drown in a lake while chasing after a stick thrown by Greg at first. He was scripted to retrieve the stick without fail several times, only to jump out the Burns family car window later to chase after a popsicle stick thrown by Greg (which likely would have resulted in the dog being killed by oncoming traffic). This would have been the second way in which Fay, the popsicle eater, would've indirectly gotten Greg into trouble, the first being her planting marijuana cigarettes in his luggage.

** Bingo the dog wasn't supposed to drown in a lake while chasing after a stick thrown by Greg at first. He was scripted to retrieve the stick without fail several times, only to jump out the Burns family car window later to chase after a popsicle stick thrown by Greg (which likely would have resulted in the dog being killed by oncoming traffic). This would have been the second way in which Fay would've indirectly gotten Greg into trouble, the first being her planting marijuana cigarettes in his luggage.

** Bingo the dog wasn't supposed to drown in a lake while chasing after a stick thrown by Greg at first. He was scripted to retrieve the stick without fail several times, only to jump out the Burns family car window later to chase after a popsicle stick thrown by Greg (which likely would have resulted in the dog being killed by oncoming traffic).

* NoBudget: In an interview, Greg alludes to making the film on a $35,000 budget, wishing he could have had an extra $100,000 to add more convincing cinematography, lighting, etc.

** Of course, none of the horrible incidents that happen to Greg in the film ever happened to Greg Glienna or producer James Vincent, who "wasn't married then", but several people contacted them after ''Meet the Parents'''s release, wishing the director and producer could have incorporated experiences like theirs into the film.

* AbsurdlyShortProductionTime: It took Greg Glienna one month to write the script.

** It was Creator/BenStiller's idea to make Greg a male nurse. Creator/JimCarrey also came up with the surname "Focker" during a creative session before he abandoned the project.

* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: ''Little Fockers'' was filmed in late 2008/early 2009 (on-set photos were shown on AOL News during this time), but was pushed back to incorporate scenes for Creator/DustinHoffman (who initially opted out of the 2nd sequel). This would explain why Jack is using Website/MySpace to spy on Greg, instead of the more now-popular Facebook.

* CharacterOutlivesActor: In ''Little Fockers'', Debbie Burns is getting a divorce from Dr. Bob offscreen. Nicole [=DeHuff=] passed away from pneumonia in February 16, 2005.

* MoneyDearBoy: Creator/RobertDeNiro's [[http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/04/robert-de-niro explanation]] for making ''Little Fockers''.

* SeparatedAtBirthCasting: You just can't deny that Ray Santiago, who played Isabel's 15-year-old son Jorge in ''Meet the Fockers'', simply is younger Puerto Rican Creator/BenStiller.

** It was Creator/BenStiller's idea to make Greg a male nurse.

* ActingForTwo: The picture of Rusty Bridges, the minor league baseball player and Jorge's biological father, is obviously Creator/BenStiller.

* ActingForTwo: The picture of the minor league baseball player is obviously Creator/BenStiller.

* CharacterOutlivesActor: In ''Little Fockers'', Debbie is getting a divorce offscreen. Nicole [=DeHuff=] passed away from pneumonia in February 16, 2005.

* AcrorInspiredElement:

* MoneyDearBoy: De Niro's [[http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/04/robert-de-niro explanation]] for making ''Little Fockers''.
* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: ''Little Fockers'' was filmed in late 2008/early 2009 (on-set photos were shown on AOL News during this time), but was pushed back to incorporate scenes for Dustin Hoffman (who initially opted out of the 2nd sequel). This would explain why Jack is using Website/MySpace to spy on Greg, instead of the more now-popular Facebook.

** Creator/JimCarrey was considered at one point for the role of Greg, and even contributed jokes to the screenplay, including Greg's surname "Focker".

** Creator/JuliaStiles auditioned for the role of Pam, but dropped out due to filming ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou''.

* TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment: ''Little Fockers'' was filmed in late 2008/early 2009 (on-set photos were shown on AOL News during this time), but was pushed back to incorporate scenes for Dustin Hoffman (who initially opted out of the 2nd sequel). This would explain why Jack is using MySpace to spy on Greg, instead of the more now-popular Facebook.