Frankie Muniz Fell Right Back into Character for This Reboot

Published: February 12, 2025

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 26: Frankie Muniz, driver of the #22 More Core Ford, walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 26, 2024 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Frankie Muniz Fell Right Back into Character for This Reboot

By Movieguide® Contributor

Child actor-turned-NASCAR driver Frankie Muniz feels right at home on the set of the MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE reboot even though the original show ended nearly 20 years ago.

“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.”

The stars announced the reboot last December as Muniz, Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek slipped back into character for a short video on Instagram. Afterward the three shared their excitement to return to the show.

For Muniz, however, the reboot will not be as easy as the original as he now works as a full time NASCAR driver. He recently shared the logistics happening behind the scenes to make both work at the same time.

“It’s gonna make my April pretty interesting because I’ll be commuting,” Muniz said. “They are working around my NASCAR schedule, which I think they told me I’m the first person they’ve ever had to work around a schedule because normally, an actor is just as committed to the acting, but obviously, I was a race car driver before they greenlit the show.”

“So we’re filming Sunday through Thursday, with me getting Thursdays off to fly to race Friday, to fly back Saturday, to film Sunday through Wednesday,” he concluded. “So it’s going to be an interesting month, but I’m prepared for it. You know, we’re doing all the same work that we need to do for those races early and getting dialed in, and, you know, my focus will still be being in the race car, but I’ll just have to do a little bit of acting on the side.”

The MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE reboot will land on Disney+ later this year.