MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE Director Raises Expectations for Reboot
By Movieguide® Contributor
A MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE reboot is underway, and director Ken Kwapis shared an update about what fans can expect about the quality of the show.
“I’m not going to say much about it except that it’s beautifully written. But it’s as emotional as it is funny,” Kwapis told TV Insider. “MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE is a great example of a show that on the surface seems broad. There’s a lot of psych gags, a lot of physical comedy, and yet the writing is always very emotionally accurate.”
“None of the comedy would work if it weren’t for the fact that these characters felt real and distinct and relatable,” Kwapis added. “Even if the performance level is occasionally high octane, emotionally it’s still 100 percent grounded.”
READ MORE: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT DISNEY’S MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE REVIVAL
These comments are encouraging for fans of the show who may have high expectations for the reboot. MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE was an extremely successful sitcom, garnering 33 Emmy nominations during its seven year run on Fox in the early 2000s.
As for Kwapis, he was involved with the show during the first half of its run, directing 19 episodes from 2000 to 2004. His return and involvement in the show will help steer it towards the original. The reboot is also set to feature all of the original cast, further helping it remain on course to be as high quality as its predecessor.
“I’m not going to spill the beans yet, but it’s wonderful to reconnect with the cast,” Kwapis said. “They’re all coming back.”
The reboot was first announced last December when Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek posted a video on social media announcing the news. Muniz later shared that he and Cranston had been talking about a reboot for years and were finally able to figure out how to make it work.
“We started talking about [a reboot] literally 10 years ago — me and [my costar] Bryan Cranston — and slowly been working at it and it’s finally a reality,” Muniz told PEOPLE. “So I’m really excited. I had to do some chemistry reads. I can’t tell you with what characters, but new characters that would be on the show. And it was so weird to go back and be with Linwood Boomer, the creator and Ken Kwapis, the director, and be back in that mindset. Oddly, it was right at home.”
Though the reboot is yet to have a release date, it will air on Disney+ when it’s ready.
READ MORE: HOW FRANKIE MUNIZ FEELS ABOUT JUGGLING MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE REBOOT WITH NASCAR
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +2