‘Malcolm in the Middle’ revival in the works at Disney+
“Malcolm in the Middle” is getting a not so big revival at Disney+, Variety reports. The four-episode sequel to the Emmy-winning comedy series will reunite stars Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek and creator Linwood Boomer.
The series follows the life of a working class, dysfunctional family with four sons, the third of whom is a child prodigy with a genius IQ who doesn’t fit in. The revival seems like it will carry that scenario into Malcolm’s adulthood. According to the official logline, “Malcolm (Muniz) 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.”
“‘Malcolm in the Middle’ is a landmark sitcom that captured the essence of family life with humor, heart and relatability,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said in a statement to Variety. “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.”
The original series ran for seven seasons from 2000 to 2006. It was nominated for 33 Emmys over the course of its run and won seven: two guest actress wins for the late Cloris Leachman, two writing and directing wins, and one for editing. The original cast included Muniz, Cranston, Kaczmarek, Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan, and Christopher Masterson. With its single-camera cinematography and innovative fast-paced editing style, the series helped usher in the 2000s golden era of network sitcoms.
“‘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,” Karey Burke, president of 20th Television, said in a statement. “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.”
Boomer will write and executive-produce the revival. Ken Kwapis, who directed numerous episodes of the original series, will direct all four new episodes and executive-produce. Cranston, Tracy Katsky, Gail Berman, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, and Natalie Lehmann are also EPs.
No premiere date has been set.
“Malcolm in the Middle” is the second 2000s sitcom revival Disney has announced this month; ABC is developing a “Scrubs” revival.