'Malcolm In The Middle' Gets 4-Episode Disney+ Revival
Life may be unfair, but this news is pretty big
There was a lot touted in the leadup to Disney+’s launch over 5 years ago, like the Lizzie McGuire revival that crashed only a few episodes into production and a raft of library shows from Disney-owned studios ex-Fox and not. One of those was the beloved 2000-2006 Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, starring Frankie Muniz, who was one of Lizzie’s biggest guest stars. Malcolm didn’t end up budging off of Hulu, same for a bunch of those promised shows, instead reaching Disney+ via last December’s integration, but it is indeed they who have landed a four-episode revival of the series, ordered by Disney Branded Television. Muniz’s Malcolm, Bryan Cranston’s Hal, and Jane Kaczmarek’s Lois are returning. The trio took part in an announcement video for the streamer’s socials.
Marking the show’s 25th anniversary, the project is headed by original series creator Linwood Boomer, who also returns in writing and executive producing capacities. This run has a logline that reads “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.” A search on YouTube will find that the returning trio have been pestered about a Malcolm in the Middle revival for at least two years, with Wikipedia citing that Cranston was asked was far back as 2016 by E!, where he was hoping. He was subsequently asked about a season 8 by Vlonethugjojo on Instagram, picked up by British GQ for a June 2023 interview, and his answer starting with “I don’t know if there’s going to be a 'season', but we’re talking” makes a lot of sense with the form we now know it takes. While it’s probably perplexing how it’s in episode format instead of a TV movie, four-episode miniseries are at least no stranger, as Pixar’s Inside Out spinoff Dream Productions runs that length and it premiered earlier this week
“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’s six original seasons and 151 episodes also starred Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan, and Christopher Masterson as Reese, Dewey, and Francis, Malcolm’s brothers. The series also had a late-in-series baby brother named Jamie, and yet another pregnancy revealed in the series finale. So who knows at least they might be around. The series’ popularity launched Muniz into movie stardom for a while with Big Fat Liar and the Agent Cody Banks films, and proved single-camera comedies viable on television. The show racked up 33 Emmy nominations during its run, ultimately winning seven.
“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, the 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.” Produced by 20th Television and New Regency, Ken Kwapis will direct all four episodes and executive produce the limited series which also has Cranston, Tracy Katsky of KatCo, Gail Berman and New Regency’s Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann as its other executive producers. Jimmy Simons and Laura Delahaye are co-executive producers.
Source: Variety