One of the most influential comedy series of the new millennium, Malcolm In the Middle, is finally getting a revival, just in time for the 25th anniversary of its launch on Fox. The family comedy will return for a limited, four-episode run on Disney+ with original cast members Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek on board to reprise their roles as Malcolm and his parents Hal and Lois, respectively. The trio teased the new installment in a video, which you can watch below.
Also back are Malcolm In the Middle creator Linwood Boomer, who will be a writer on the new episodes, and producing director Ken Kwapis, who will direct all four. 20th Television and New Regency, whose joint venture Regency Television (via Fox TV Studios and Regency Enterprises) was behind the original series, are producing for Disney Branded Entertainment.
Muniz, Cranston and Kaczmarek are expected to be joined by other cast members from the original Malcolm in the Middle, which saw young genius Malcolm (Munitz) trying to navigate life with his quirky, often difficult family. The trio will be at the center of the new episodes, in which Malcolm (Munitz) and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek) demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.
As the logline for the revival reveals, Malcolm has a daughter, and there have been feelers sent out for an actress to play his wife, I hear.
Given the occasion, Hal and Lois’ wedding anniversary, it would make sense for all of their children to be present. While Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield, who played their two eldest sons Francis and Reese, respectively, in the original, would likely be approached about reprising their roles, a return for Erik Per Sullivan, who played the youngest brother, Dewey, is unlikely. He quit acting in 2010 and has not participated in any of the Malcolm In the Middle reunions.
Munitz also has switched careers to become a full-time car race driver, but he has kept a toe in Hollywood with occasional acting gigs. Along with Cranston, he also has been the most vocal about trying to get the gang back together for a Malcolm revival.
Cranston executive produces the new episodes alongside Boomer, his wife, comedy TV producer Tracy Katsky via her KatCo, Kwapis, Gail Berman, who developed and sold the original series as President of Regency TV, and New Regency’s Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann. Jimmy Simons and Laura Delahaye are co-executive producers.
“Malcolm in the Middle is a landmark sitcom that captured the essence of family life with humor, heart and relatability,” said Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television. “Its hilarious and heartfelt portrayal of a lovably chaotic family resonated with audiences of all ages, and we’re so excited to welcome the original cast back to bring that magic to life again. With Linwood Boomer and the creative team at the helm, these new episodes will have all the laughs, pranks, and mayhem fans loved — along with a few surprises that remind us why this show is so timeless.”
Malcolm in the Middle ushered in the era of single-camera comedy series on broadcast TV, paving the way for shows like Arrested Development, The Office, 30 Rock and Modern Family. Fox took a big risk with the unproven format at the time, and it paid off — Malcolm gave the network its largest premiere audience since The Simpsons, with some 23 million viewers tuning in for its January 2000 debut. The number went up to 26M in Week 2.
The show’s look and feel also was embraced by critics, with Malcolm winning back-to-back comedy writing and directing Emmy awards for its first two seasons, including for the pilot, written by Boomer and directed by Todd Holland. Over its seven-season run, the series received a total of seven Emmys, a Peabody Award and a Grammy.
All 151 episodes of Malcolm In the Middle are available to stream on Hulu or via Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers. It is unclear whether the existing seasons would be made available on standalone Disney+ when the new episodes are released on the platform. The limited revival series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, and New Regency.
“Malcolm in the Middle literally changed the face of the television comedy landscape when it premiered two decades ago, redefining what the genre could be,” said Karey Burke, President of 20th Television. “When Linwood Boomer suggested it might be time to bring everyone’s favorite dysfunctional family back for a bit of a reunion, we couldn’t think of a more iconic and influential series to revisit, along with a truly brilliant cast to reunite.”
Reboots/revivals are popular again, with 20th TV also prepping a Scrubs sequel for ABC and a new chapter of Prison Break for Hulu.
Muniz is repped by Established Artists and Jackoway Austen. Cranston, who went on to star in drama Breaking Bad, winning 3 Emmys for his work, is reppted by UTA and Johnson Shapiro. Kaczmarek is repped by Paradigm Talent Agency.