Frankie Muniz shared a picture with two of his on-screen brothers while filming the rebooted Malcolm in the Middle series, but eagle-eyed fans noticed something very significant.
Muniz and the rest of the family are set to return once again in the near future, and the titular star of the show is clearly excited about it.
Frankie Muniz and Malcolm in the Middle are coming back in 2026
Muniz shared a lovely picture of himself alongside fellow stars and on-screen brothers Justin Berfield and Christopher Masterson, who play Reese and Francis respectively.
Frankie wrote: “I was told not to post this yet, but then I remembered the theme song.
“I’m just too excited for y’all to see the new episodes and I miss my brothers.”
Frankie Muniz with Justin Berfield and Christopher Masterson. Credit: X/Frankie Muniz
For those who maybe aren’t the biggest MITM fans, that is a reference to the title music’s repeated phrase ‘you’re not the boss of me’.
The new series entitled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026, and features a return for the whole dysfunctional family.
Or does it?
Fans noticed someone missing
As well as the three boys already mentioned, there are returns for Bryan Cranston as dad Hal, and Jane Kaczmarek as Malcolm’s mom Lois.
However, one character is not to be played by the original actor, and that really stuck out.
One comment read: “Where’s Dewey?”
“Free Dewey,” wrote another.
A third commented: “But where is Dewey missing?”
Well, we do have an answer for that.
Dewey - Malcolm’s younger brother - was played by Erik Per Sullivan in the original run, but will be replaced by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark for this series.
Jamie, who was the youngest, will be played by Anthony Timpano.
The reason behind Dewey’s change of face is that Erik Per Sullivan has simply retired from acting and doesn’t want to be in the spotlight as a part of it.
Instead, he’s going to Harvard, according to Bryan Cranston.
He was invited, apparently.
The 'Malcolm In The Middle' cast pictured at the 2001 Emmy Awards. Credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images.
Cranston said: “I talked to Erik and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back.’
“He goes, ‘Oh, that’s fantastic!’ And I go, ‘Yeah, so we’re looking forward to having you back.’ He goes, ‘Oh, no, no, I don’t want to do it. But it’s fantastic.’”
Cranston continued: “He’s actually going to Harvard,
“He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now.
“He said, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was 9 or something. So I’m not into it.'”
The four-episode series will air next year on Disney+ and we’ll get to see what it all looks like.