Malcolm in the Middle Revival: Muniz "Happy to Call Myself an Actor"

Posted in: Disney+, Hulu, TV | Tagged: malcolm in the middle, MITM

Malcolm in the Middle Revival: Muniz "Happy to Call Myself an Actor"

Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair's Frankie Muniz on the upcoming revival and what returning to the show's universe meant to him.

Published Sat, 13 Dec 2025 16:37:04 -0600
by Ray Flook
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Earlier this month, we were treated to the first official teaser for series creator Linwood Boomer and Hulu's Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek-starring Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair. Set for 2026, the four-part special event finds Malcolm (Muniz) and his daughter drawn into the family's chaos when Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek) demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party. Referring to the project as "probably one of the best times I've ever had on a set," Muniz discussed how he felt heading into the table read, a key difference between the original series and the revival, and how the upcoming return made him "happy to call myself an actor."

"When I was doing Malcolm 20 years ago, I was a kid. I was like 13 to 20 when I was on the show, and I just kind of showed up and was excited to be there and said the words that were on the paper, and it worked," Muniz shared during an interview with PEOPLE. "As an adult, you tend to overthink things … and you put more pressure on yourself as well. So I didn't know what it was gonna be like — if it was going to be easy to be Malcolm, if it was gonna be awkward back with the cast. And not to sound like cliché, but it was as if not a single day went by. All of us — every single person — like instantly fell back into their characters with, I'm talking the first table read."

A key difference between the original and return series is that Muniz knows just how large and loyal the fanbase is now, as opposed to the unknown that comes from being a new series. "Twenty years ago, you film the first season, no one's ever seen it, you don't know if they're gonna like it, you don't know how people are gonna react to it. And then to have your seven years of success with it, and now 20 years later, I can go anywhere in the world, and people know Malcolm, right? They know the show, they love the show. They tell me how much it affected their lives and how much it meant to their families, how it brought them closer together," he explained. "You have a greater appreciation for what you were part of, but very rarely do you get to do that again."

Returning to the sitcom's universe also gave him an opportunity to reflect and reassess himself as an actor. "One interesting thing … it was the first time in my entire life that, when I was done filming the reboot, I was happy to call myself an actor," he shared. "I've always been like, 'Oh yeah, I act, but I also do these other things too.' … It was just really fun and a really cool experience, so I'm hoping that everyone loves it for sure."

Malcolm in the Middle Wraps; Frankie Muniz Shares Heartfelt Post

"Just wrapped filming the 'Malcolm in the Middle' reboot, and man, I'm still reeling. This experience was straight-up incredible—like stepping back into Malcolm's wild world but with all the love and chaos cranked to 11. Reuniting with the cast, getting to know some new characters, laughing till it hurt, and making new memories on set felt like a dream I didn't want to wake up from. It went by so fast, like a blur of perfect moments. I wish it could go on forever," Muniz wrote back near the end of May, sharing a look at the clapperboard to signify that filming had wrapped.

"I'm so happy to have gotten the chance to relive being on this show with a greater appreciation of what we were making, knowing how many people around the world truly love Malcolm and his family. Another big thing I am taking away from this experience is how much I truly love being an actor. I never officially felt like that label fit me, but now I wear that label proudly and hope to do so much more of it in the future. I am so sad to have to say goodbye to my MITM crew, I love each and every one of you. And PS: Life's Still Unfair," he added. "I had so many incredible pictures of all the cast I wanted to post but Disney won't let me…. So imagine a picture of all of us together, having the time of our lives!"

Original cast members Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield will reprise their roles as Malcolm's brothers, Francis and Reese, respectively. In addition, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark will be taking over the role of Malcolm's (Muniz) genius brother, Dewey (original actor Erik Per Sullivan left acting in 2010). Also, Anthony Timpano is set as Malcolm's youngest brother, Jamie, while Vaughan Murrae has been tapped to play Malcolm's youngest sibling, self-sufficient Kelly, who gets good grades and is already wiser than most of the family. Keeley Karsten is set as Malcolm's daughter, Leah, with Kiana Madeira set to play Malcolm's girlfriend. Eric Nenninger, who guest-starred as Cadet Eric Hanson in the first season and served as a recurring character for Seasons 2 and 3, and Arjay Smith, who played Ken Finley, also star.

Produced by 20th Television and New Regency, Boomer returns as writer and executive producer of the new series. Cranston, Tracy Katsky (KatCo), Gail Berman, and New Regency's Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, and Natalie Lehmann are set as executive producers. Ken Kwapis has been tapped to direct all four episodes and executive produce – with Jimmy Simons and Laura Delahaye set as co-executive producers.

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