He may have taken a little detour to cook some meth, but Bryan Cranston is returning to his comedy roots, alongside Frankie Muniz and Jane Kaczmarek, as Disney+ revive the classic sitcom ‘Malcolm in the Middle‘!
Almost 25 years after its original debut, Disney Branded Television announced today the return of the beloved family comedy for a limited, four-episode run on Disney+ globally. From 20th Television and New Regency, the new episodes will see the return of original cast members Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Bryan Cranston as Hal, and Jane Kaczmarek as Lois. A premiere date will be announced at a later time.
“‘Malcolm in the Middle’ is a landmark sitcom that captured the essence of family life with humour, heart and relatability,” said Ayo Davis, president, 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.”
The original “Malcolm in the Middle” saw young genius Malcolm trying to navigate life with his quirky, often difficult family. In these brand-new episodes, Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.
If you’re wondering about the rest of the children from the original show, it’s expected Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield, who played older sons Francis and Reese, are likely to be approached about returning in the revival. The one person who probably won’t appear is Erik Per Sullivan, who seems to have stepped away from acting in 2010, and has not been involved in any ‘Malcolm In the Middle’ reunions.
“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,” adds Karey Burke, president, 20th Television. “When Linwood Boomer suggested it might be time to bring everyone’s favourite 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.”
“Malcolm in the Middle” originally debuted on Fox in 2000, pioneering the single-camera format and paving the way for other hit sitcoms like “The Office” and “30 Rock.” Over the course of its seven seasons, the series received widespread critical acclaim, winning a Peabody Award, seven Emmy Awards, one GRAMMY Award and seven Golden Globe nominations. Recently, users on the popular Reddit/TV thread overwhelmingly deemed it the single best sitcom ever with a perfect run from start to finish.
Linwood Boomer created the original series and returns as writer and executive producer. Bryan Cranston, Tracy Katsky (KatCo), Gail Berman and New Regency’s Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann are executive producers. Ken Kwapis will direct all four episodes and executive produce. Jimmy Simons and Laura Delahaye are co-executive producers. The limited series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, and New Regency.
‘Malcolm in the Middle‘ limited series does not have a premiere date but will air on Disney+ globally. If you want to keep track of this or any of the shows, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when the next season gets a UK premiere date.
