Frankie Muniz stars in a new sci-fi movie Renner and though he’s excited to branch out into the genre, the actor explains how this was also a challenge for him almost three decades into his career. Muniz got his big break starring as Malcolm on the hit series Malcolm In The Middle when he was just fifteen years old. He grew up in the public eye, also taking on the role of Agent Cody Banks in two feature films. Now, fans of his can see him in a role that is very different from his wholesome ones, which he found to be a challenge, but a welcome one.

In his new sci-fi thriller Renner, Muniz plays a computer genius who has built an AI with the hopes of creating a life coach that will help others. What he doesn’t realize, at least not at first, is that he accidentally programmed his manipulative and overprotective mother into the code.

ScreenRant interviewed Frankie Muniz and director Robert Rippberger about Renner, and Muniz specifically discussed stepping into a new genre and why this role was an unexpected challenge for him. The duo also detailed what it is that sets Renner apart from other AI movies. Of course, Muniz also took time to tease the upcoming Malcolm In The Middle revival.

“I Didn’t Realize How Much Of A Challenge It Would Be Until I Showed Up Set”

Frankie Muniz Was Excited About The Idea Of A Challenge By Stepping Into A New Genre That He Had Not Explored Before

Renner marks Muniz’s first time being in a Sci-Fi movie, which is something he was excited about: “If I’m this excited to read the script, I can’t imagine what the movie will be like.” Muniz goes on to explain that each act explores a different version of his character, Renner. “The movie I thought I was reading on pages one through twenty, versus page twenty to fifty, versus the last thirty pages, I definitely didn’t expect it to go there.“

He also reveals that while he loves a challenge, he was not prepared for how much of one it would be, saying, “I love the idea of that challenge. Granted, I didn’t realize how much of a challenge it would be until I showed up on set.” Muniz also praises Rippberger, claiming that he pulled the best out of him and exclaiming, “I’m really thrilled at how it turned out.“

Rippberger turns the tables on Muniz, praising him as well: “I think a lot of people also don’t appreciate how hard it is to be an actor. I mean, the vulnerability, the amount of pressure. The camera is ultimately looking one place through the whole movie, and it’s on Frankie the entire time with this movie. It’s a tremendous trust fall between actor and director.“

“This Is A Film Not So Much About AI, But It’s A Film About Loss And What We Use To Fill That Hole.”

Renner Explores A Different Side Of AI, But A Realistic One

AI is a H๏τ topic right now, and one that we are starting to see a lot of movies and series touching base on, but Renner does something unique with it. As director Robert Rippberger details, “this is a film, not so much about AI, but it’s a film about loss and what we use to fill that hole.” He explains that the movie shines a light on “how AI and other tools like this in a digital world can become a replacement for that.” Rippberger says Renner is about what it is to be human, which was “a key piece that, when I came on as director, I was really saying, this is my focus with the story.“

Muniz adds that what he loves about this movie is that it is something we are seeing in real life with AI: “Everyone’s kind of searching for, not a cure-all, but he was trying to do good.” He goes on to explain that Renner’s plan was to make something that would help people with whatever they want to achieve but “he programmed his overbearing, over controlling mother in it, and it affected him in a pretty interesting way.“

He compares this to the real world, saying that “certain AIs or certain tools that you have, you are going to see biased programming in it from whoever the programmer was.” Muniz continues to detail the things that he loves about Renner, adding “There’s a long time in the movie, or parts of the movie where you don’t know who to believe. Do you believe the AI? Do you believe the girl? I think you [will be] surprised when you finally figure it out.“

“You’re Going To See Everybody And Figure Out Where They’ve Been And What They’re Doing”

Frankie Muniz Dishes On Malcolm In The Middle Revival

We couldn’t talk to Muniz without asking about the Malcolm In The Middle revival, which is said to be only four episodes. Fans have been waiting a long time to see the return of the Wilkerson family, so only getting four episodes may be a little disappointing, but Muniz explains why the series is so short.

“It was originally pitched as a two-hour movie. And for the sake of it being a Disney+ [series], it’s four 30-minute episodes. But it’s really one story line.” While he cannot give too many details about the show, he did reveal that “You’re going to see everybody and figure out where they’ve been and what they’re doing.“

Fans would love to see more of Malcolm and his family down the line, and while Muniz does not know what is in store for the future, he teases “We leave it on a great note, and then we’ll see what happens after that.“

Source: Screen Rant Plus