Malcolm In The Middle fans are seemingly divided over the new reboot trailer, with some saying it looked “unlikely to capture the magic of the original”.
Airing from 2000-2006, the hit sitcom saw title character, Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) navigate life with his eccentric family. The show also featured Bryan Cranston as Malcolm’s father, with the actor later finding critical acclaim as the star of Breaking Bad.
Back in 2024, it was confirmed that a new series, would see the show return with a four-episode revival, following a now-adult Malcolm and his family. Muniz, Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek (who played Malcolm’s mother) are also returning, although Erik Per Sullivan, who played younger brother Dewey, declined to return and has been recast.
Earlier this week (March 12), Hulu unveiled a complete trailer for the forthcoming reboot, titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, which is set to arrive on the streaming service and Disney+ next month.
It’s already struck a chord with fans, with the trailer racking up over five million views in a matter of days as they anticipate the release of the four-part series.
“It might be the nostalgia talking but I smiled the whole way through this,” one Reddit user said of the show. “Even if it’s not great, it’s not another season or anything. Just a four part catch up of sorts. Also, just seeing these characters again will keep me invested the whole way.”
As for the format, another fan took to Reddit to say they felt a short mini-series was the right way to go.
“They’re very unlikely to capture the magic of the original show with everything about it being so different, so a short mini-series that doesn’t overstay its welcome was a good option,” they added. “This lets them organise it around one narrative that justifies bringing them all together, and lets them play around with the aged versions of these characters and how they now interact without having to completely reinvent the show.”
Others, however, shared apprehensions about the visual feel of the show, with one commenting on YouTube: “Everyone is over lit and looks like they’re in Walmart under 5000k light bulbs. The original show had bright orange sun rays peering through windows creating harsh shadows. Lamps and light fixtures help creating the light that illuminated the actors. What we’re getting here feels nothing like that.”
You can check out more social media reactions below.
Me after watching the trailer #MalcolmInTheMiddle pic.twitter.com/ZhM5GKWvEX
— Edward Sanchez (@edwardistheman) March 12, 2026
