Life’s still unfair for Frankie Muniz’s Malcolm. It’s been 25 years since Malcolm in the Middle premiered on Fox, and nearly 20 years since the family — mother Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), father Hal (Bryan Cranston), and brothers Francis (Christopher Kennedy Masterson), Reese (Justin Berfield), Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan), and Jamie (James and Lukas Rodriguez, Anthony Timpano) — attended Malcolm’s high school graduation and watched his valedictory speech, which capped off a seven-season run in the 2006 series finale.
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Two decades later, the Malcolm in the Middle revival for Disney+ reunites most of the cast members with original series creator Linwood Boomer. But the limited four-episode series will have a new title: Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair.
The revival was initially announced and filmed under the working title Malcolm in the Middle Reboot, but Boomer’s credits on the official Writers Guild of America website reveal the new subtitle. It’s a reference to “life is unfair” from the original show’s “Boss of Me” theme song by They Might Be Giants.
Boomer wrote the pilot and co-wrote the teleplays for episode 2 (with original Malcolm in the Middle writer-producer Michael B. Glouberman), episode 3 (with Matthew Carlson & Gary Murphy, former season 1 showrunner and co-executive producer, respectively), and episode 4 (with Malcolm series writer-producer Alan J. Higgins).
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair recently wrapped filming, with Muniz hinting at the title change in an announcement he posted to social media.
“Just wrapped filming the Malcolm in the Middle reboot, and man, I’m still reeling,” Muniz wrote on Instagram. “This experience was straight-up incredible — like stepping back into Malcolm’s wild world but with all the love and chaos cranked to 11.”
Muniz went on to express gratitude for the opportunity to relive Malcolm with his former cast mates and new co-stars. “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.”
“I am so sad to have to say goodbye to my MITM crew, I love each and everyone of you,” he wrote, signing off with: “And PS: Life’s Still Unfair.”
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair reunites Muniz, Kaczmarek, Cranston, Berfield, Masterson, and Timpano. Sullivan, since retired from acting, has been recast with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark playing the older Dewey. Per the series logline, “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.”
New cast members include Vaughan Murrae (The Solutioneers) as non-binary sibling Kelly, Hal and Lois’ sixth child; Kiana Madeira (the Fear Street trilogy) as Malcolm’s girlfriend, Tristan; and Keeley Karsten (The Fabelmans) as Malcolm’s daughter, Leah, who “has the same sarcastic humor, same impulsiveness and the same frighteningly high intelligence as him, but she’s far more sensitive and emotional.”
Also returning from the original show: Craig Lamar Traylor as Malcolm’s friend and former Krelboyne, Stevie; Gary Anthony Williams as Stevie’s dad, Abe; Eric Nenninger as Cadet Eric, Francis’ friend from military school; and David Anthony Higgins as Craig, the Lois-crushing coworker from the Lucky Aide.
“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 announcing the revival. “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.”
Davis added that the Boomer-helmed series has “all the laughs, pranks, and mayhem” that fans loved from the 151-episode original, “along with a few surprises that remind us why this show is so timeless.” Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is expected to air later in 2025 on Disney+.
