Frankie Muniz recently revealed some exciting details about the Malcolm in the Middle revival. The original show, which first aired in 2000, followed Malcolm, played by Muniz, as the smart but stressed-out middle child of a chaotic family.
It stood out from other sitcoms with its dark humor, wild family dynamics, fourth-wall breaks, and quirky gags. Although the show wrapped up in 2006 with a clear ending, Disney has approved a short revival series.
In a chat with ScreenRant about his upcoming AI thriller Renner, Muniz shared that the revival initially started as a two-hour movie. However, for Disney+, it transformed into a four-episode series, each running 30 minutes and focusing on a single storyline.
Advertisement He hinted that more could follow, saying, “We’ll see what happens after that.” Read his full quote from the interview below:
I mean, it was originally, I think, pitched as a like a movie, as a feature, like a two hour movie. And for the sake of it being a Disney plus, it’s four 30 minute episodes, but it’s really one storyline, if that makes sense. You’re gonna see everybody and figure out where they’ve been and what they’re doing. And we leave it on a great note, you know, and then we’ll see what happens after that.
The plot of the Malcolm in the Middle revival will focus on Malcolm returning to his wild family home to celebrate his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. It’s also revealed that Malcolm now has a daughter, though the role hasn’t been cast yet.
While the storyline hints at a possible reunion of the whole family, only a few cast members are confirmed so far: Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Bryan Cranston as his dad Hal, and Jane Kaczmarek as his mom Lois.
Since the revival is just 120 minutes split into four episodes, it feels more like a short movie broken into parts. With this limited time, it’s unlikely we’ll see many of the beloved side characters from the original series. However, there’s still room to bring back Malcolm’s brothers and catch up on their lives over the past 20 years. One challenge, though, is that Christopher Kennedy Masterson (who played Francis) is the only brother still actively acting.
Cranston and Kaczmarek’s characters bring plenty of laughs, but the real heart of Malcolm in the Middle was the chaotic and hilarious bond between Malcolm and his brothers. Their wild pranks, constant antics, and rare but sweet moments—especially between Malcolm and Dewey (played by Erik Per Sullivan)—made the show unforgettable.
It’s unclear if all the brothers will return for the revival. Justin Berfield, who played Reese, has stayed out of the spotlight since 2012, and Erik Per Sullivan left acting back in 2010, even missing some cast reunions.
I’m hopeful the revival and the return of the confirmed cast might encourage them to step back into their roles—and maybe even return to acting if they want. If they decide not to, that’s understandable, but their presence would definitely make the revival even more special.