Frankie Muniz Promises ‘Pretty Shocking’ ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Reboot

When Malcolm in the Middle ended in 2006, fans were left with plenty of questions about the misfit Wilkerson family. Now, nearly 20 years later, Frankie Muniz insists viewers are finally getting some answers.

The Emmy-winning sitcom, which debuted in 2000, is making its long-awaited return on Disney+ in a four-episode miniseries titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair.

For Muniz, who starred as the brainy middle child Malcolm, the experience of stepping back into the character’s shoes has been nothing short of surreal.

During a visit to the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis, the actor teased that the revival will be unlike anything viewers expect. “It’s hard to fit in 20 years of stuff in four 30-minute episodes,” he admitted. “It’s pretty shocking, to be honest. But I think people are going to be very happy with what they came up with.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Initially, the project was envisioned as a two-hour reunion film, but Muniz says that the team behind the reboot felt there was simply too much ground to cover.

Shifting to a four-part mini-series allowed for more storylines, a stronger emotional payoff and what Muniz insists is “closure” for his character.

The plot centers on Malcolm, now grown up with a family of his own, returning home with his girlfriend Tristan (Kiana Madeira) and daughter Leah (Keeley Karsten) to celebrate his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. The milestone, of course, spirals into the kind of comic chaos the show became known for, with familiar dysfunction front and center.

Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are back as Hal and Lois, the endlessly frazzled parents who became sitcom icons. Christopher Masterson returns as Francis, the rebellious eldest son, while Justin Berfield reprises his role as troublemaking Reese.

As previously reported, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark is stepping in to play Dewey, originally portrayed by Erik Per Sullivan, while Anthony Timpano takes over as Jamie, the youngest Wilkerson.

Despite the recasting, Muniz said the energy on set captured the same magic that made the original so beloved. “I had the best time of my entire life, I’m not exaggerating, filming this reboot,” Muniz shared to Vulpis. “Like, I loved it so much, way more than I ever thought I could have.”

And the star, who has stepped away from acting recently to focus on NASCAR racing, is hoping to continue the bond with his costars off-camera too.

“We ended in May, and I haven’t talked to anybody since, you know what I mean? I’ve been gone. I’ve only been home, I think, like 12 days since the beginning of the year. So I’m just always crazy,” he said. “I think next week, I’m going to have time. I’m going to reach out [to the cast].”

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair‘s premiere date has yet to be announced.