Hulu is officially reviving Malcolm in the Middle with a four-episode event, "Life's Still Unfair," set to premiere on April 10, 2026. The company dropped the first trailer for the revival.
Dragged back into chaos: The new limited series picks up with a grown-up Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) who has successfully avoided his family for more than a decade. "My life is fantastic now," he declares in the trailer, a peace that comes to an abrupt end when he is pulled back into the fold for his parents' 40th anniversary party.
The gang's (mostly) back: Most of the original lineup is returning, including Bryan Cranston (Hal), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Christopher Kennedy Masterson (Francis), and Justin Berfield (Reese). The most notable absence is Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey but has since retired from acting; the role will now be played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, as seen in the new key art.
The original team returns: Original series creator Linwood Boomer returns to write and executive produce the four-part event. The project has reportedly been championed for years by star Bryan Cranston. Frequent series director Ken Kwapis will helm all four episodes.
The revival is another clear example of a major streamer leveraging a beloved, iconic IP from the 2000s to capture nostalgic audiences and stand out in the crowded content landscape. It's also part of a larger reboot strategy at Disney, which recently announced it was also reviving the 2000s sitcom Scrubs. The announcement also had competitors making moves, with Netflix quickly publishing a list of Bryan Cranston content on its platform to capitalize on the buzz.
