'Cheaper By The Dozen' Reboot Introduces A Blended, Interracial Family of 12

Cheaper By the Dozen returns large, louder, and more blended than ever. The Disney+ original movie, starring Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff, is a fresh take on the 2003 family comedy, which originally starred Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt.

Braff announced the remake on his Instagram. It was a role that apparently manifested one of his wildest dreams.

“I dreamt I married Gabrielle Union and had 12 kids,” he captioned the Hollywood Reporter screenshot on his Instagram page. “It came true!!!! Written by Kenya Barris!!!!! Let’s GO!”

A fresh revamp of the original

Based on the classic novel by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, the movie is about the hectic and heartwarming lives of the Bakers as they balance their careers and home life and parenting 12 children, including teenagers! There was also a 1950 version that starred Clifton Webb and Myrna Loy.

Walt Disney Studios released the first trailer of the remake on Monday. Braff and Union are the patriarch and matriarchs of the family.

“We're not a cult,” Braff narrates in a voiceover during the official trailer. Union follows up in her voiceover replying, “But we're weird. We're one of a kind all the way.”

Interracial criticism

Unlike the 1950 and 2003 versions, the Bakers family is an interracial couple. Black-ish creator Kenya Barris co-wrote the script for the reboot. He was criticized for not centering enough of his stories around Black families.

One opposed tweeted, “Someone tell Kenya Barris that interracial relationships aren’t an act of liberation.”

Barris, who is also the creator of Black AF and co-writer of Coming To America 2, has not responded to the criticism.

When does it premiere?

Cheaper By The Dozen premieres on Disney+ on March 18.