"We Leave It On A Great Note": Frankie Muniz Shares New Malcolm In The Middle Revival Details

Frankie Muniz sheds some light on details regarding the upcoming revival of Malcolm in the Middle. Initially premiering in 2000, the show followed the gifted middle son, Muniz's Malcolm, of a dysfunctional family. Tracking Malcom's hardships and woes, the show was able to stand out from the usual fare of sitcoms with its dark comedy, absurd family dynamics, fourth-wall breaks, and its unconventional gags. Though ithad a conclusive ending back in 2006, Disney has green-lit an anticipated, albeit brief, Malcolm in the Middle revival.

In an interview with ScreenRant for his upcoming AI thriller Renner, Muniz shared a few details regarding the revival of Malcolm in the Middle. Muniz said that the revival was originally pitched as a two-hour movie, but, for the sake of Disney+, it was turned into a four-episode series with each installment running 30 minutes long, telling one single storyline. Muniz then said there's potential for more after, stating, "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.

What This Means For The Malcolm In The Middle Revival

It's A Very Short Series Revival

Plot details for the revival of Malcom in the Middle so far say that the story will follow Malcom's return to his chaotic family home for his parents' 40th-anniversary party. It's also been revealed that Malcom has a daughter, though the role has yet to be cast. The premise presents the potential return of the whole family, though the only returning cast confirmed is Muniz, Bryan Cranston (who plays his father Hal), and Jane Kaczmarek (Lois).

With the Malcolm of the Middle revival currently only about 120 minutes long, it is more of a feature-length film broken up into four parts. With this limited runtime, it seems unlikely that the revival will feature returns of some of Malcolm in the Middle's beloved supporting characters. However, there will be time to bring back the brothers and explore where they've been in the past 20 years. There arises a problem, though, as Christopher Kennedy Masterson (who played the eldest brother Francis) is the only onscreen brother still actively working as an actor.

Our Take On The New Malcolm In The Middle Reveals

I Want To See The Return Of All The Brothers

Malcolm talks to reese at the Bowling Alley in Malcolm in the Middle

While Cranston and Kaczmarek's characters provide a lot of comedy for viewers to sink their teeth into, the sibling dynamic between Malcolm and all his brothers was the highlight of the series. Their hijinks, proclivity for pranks, and the rare sweet moments, especially between Malcolm and his younger brother Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan), contributed to this compelling dynamic, which was often antagonistic.

However, I'm not sure if all the brothers are returning. Justin Berfield (Malcom's older brother Reese) has been away from the spotlight since 2012, and Sullivan left acting altogether back in 2010, even skipping several cast reunions. I'm hopeful that the revival and the three confirmed returning actors' involvement will inspire Berfield and Sullivan to not only come back to the characters, but acting as well, if that's what they want. Their decisions against doing so will be understandable, but their presence in the revival of Malcolm in the Middlewill be warmly welcomed.