Malcolm in the Middle Revival Confirms Two Major Details in First Teaser (And One Is Bad News)

When it comes to television revivals, the upcoming return of Malcolm in the Middle might just be the one that fans are looking forward to the most. When the series ended its run after seven seasons in 2006, fans were certainly sad to see it go as it was one of the most influential and unique programs of its time, stepping out of the box that most sitcoms functioned in with narration that broke the fourth wall and by giving viewers characters who were anything from polished. Excitement to see what the chaotic lives of Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) and his family have held since fans last saw them has only been building since it was previously reported that the revival would be coming next year and now Disney+ has made it official — but it’s not all good news.

Hulu shared a first teaser for Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, confirming that the revival is coming in 2026 on their official Instagram on Friday. The post did not give a specific premiere date for the revival, but it did offer fans another pretty major piece of information that is likely going to leave them just a bit disappointed. It turns out that the eagerly anticipated Malcolm in the Middle revival will have just four episodes as the post is describing the series as a four-part event, as confirmed in the caption, “Some things never change. Life’s Still Unfair, a special four-part event, streams 2026.”

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The Malcolm in the Middle Revival Teaser Pays Hilarious Tribute to the Original Series

While fans might be disappointed by the small number of episodes for the revival, the teaser itself is sure to bring a smile to their faces, if not get a full-on laugh. The short teaser features footage of hair being shaved off of what is revealed to be someone’s back in a kitchen before things pull away and the hair clippings on the floor spell out the special’s title. Fans of Malcolm in the Middle will recall that the shaving is a direct nod to a very memorable scene in the original in which Jane Kaczmarek’s Lois shaved Bryan Cranston’s Hal’s back. Between this teaser and the revival’s title itself being a nod to a line in the opening theme song, “Boss of Me” from the original series by They Might Be Giants, it definitely already feels like the revival is bringing a lot of nostalgia into consideration even as it is poised to offer an update on the Wilkerson family.

That said, while fans will be getting to see most of the family back together, not everyone is coming back for the revival. While Muniz, Cranston, and Kaczmarek are returning and Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield are reprising their roles as Francis and Reese respectively, Erik Per Sullivan will not be returning to play youngest brother, Dewey. Sullivan retired from acting in 2010 and is reportedly pursuing a master’s degree at Harvard. That role has been recast with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark stepping in. There will be other new faces as well, with Anthony Timpano coming on as Jamie and Vaughan Murrae as Kelly along with Keeley Karsten as Malcolm’s daughter, Leah.

Are you disappointed that Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair will only be four episodes? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!