Gail Lerner, who’s known for her work on Black-ish and Will & Grace, directs the 2022 remake Cheaper by the Dozen. This is the third film inspired by the 1948 book, Cheaper By the Dozen, which was written by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and his sister, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Frank and Ernestine came from a family of twelve children, and their memoir fondly recalls their time growing up in a big family. Perhaps the most notable figure in the household was their father, who theorized that the efficiency he brought to factory assembly lines could be applied to managing their 14-person home.
Twentieth Century Studios and Walt Disney Pictures are now releasing a new Cheaper By the Dozen, which revises this large family’s adventures through a modern lens. The film adopts the Baker surname and ten children, versus the original twelve, from the 2003 Cheaper By the Dozen. In this 2022 remake, Paul and Zoey Baker are a multiracial couple who married and brought their children from previous marriages together to form a blended family. Together, they manage a family business while struggling to keep their ten children, or hooligans, out of trouble.
Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union lead their united tribe of ten children, making a dozen with themselves at the family’s helm. Braff is known for his work in comedy, having led Scrubs for nine seasons, created and starred in Garden State, and done voice acting in films like Chicken Little. Union also brings her experience in the comedy genre. While featured in romantic comedies, she is mostly known for her work in Bring It On and helping lead the series L.A.’s Finest.
With a character list of ten children, various child actors, new and experienced, are seeing their careers expand through this reboot. Mykal-Michelle Harris brings her family comedy experience from Mixed-ish, while Aryan Simhadri continues his work with Disney through this film. Andre Robinson, with his full resume of voice acting across television shows, comes in front of the camera for Cheaper By the Dozen. Luke Prael, who will be playing one of the older Baker siblings, was notably featured in Eighth Grade, a realistic drama about the awkward teenage years. Kylie Rogers brings her film experience (Miracles from Heaven) and television experience (Yellowstone) to the table. Other actors and actresses include Journee Brown, Caylee Blosenski, Leo A. Perry, and brothers Christian Cote and Sebastian Cote.
This new reimagining of the classic family comedy is bound to please with its high-ranking cast and diverse group of characters. With this film now available to audiences, here’s all the information on how, and where, to watch it.
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Is Cheaper by the Dozen in Theaters or on Streaming?
Cheaper by the Dozen is not available in theaters. It is streaming solely on Disney+ as of March 18, 2022, due to it being a Disney+ Original Movie. As of right now, there is no evidence that Disney plans to release its Disney+ Originals on DVD or any other form of physical media. Only subscribers to Disney+ will have access to the 2022 reboot.
How Is the 2022 Cheaper By the Dozen Different?
With this being the second remake, Disney+’s Cheaper By the Dozen will have to usher in something new to make it a worthy reboot. It seems the screenplay written by Jenifer Rice-Genzuk Henry and Kenya Barris does just that.
First off, the well-loved Bakers have new faces. The cast has added new representation, with Mrs. Baker being played by Union, who is a Black woman. Braff adds another layer of complexity, as a white Mr. Baker, creating a multiracial marriage. Another layer to the diversity cake? The Bakers are a blended family. The synopses suggest both characters were in previous relationships, which resulted in the children they each brought to the marriage.
Not much is known about the Baker children, but it is clear that they already differ from the early 2000s Bakers and the 1950s Gilbreths. These kids, while living under the same roof, come with different racial and ethnic identities, from South Asian-coded Haresh Baker to his Black sister Deja Baker to their white brother, Seth Baker. Additionally, there appears to be disability representation based on the trailer, where one of the Baker children seems to move via a wheelchair.
There are sure to be a world of differences with these new names, characters, and personalities for the Baker family. For a quick introduction to the new Bakers, be sure to check out the trailer above.
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Where to Watch the Previous Cheaper By the Dozen Films
Director Walter Lang, who was known for The King and I and There’s No Business Like Show Business, spearheaded the 1950 film Cheaper By the Dozen. This film adaptation most closely follows the memoir’s source material. Clifton Webb of Laura and the 1953 Titanic played Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr., the efficiency expert and father who applied his excellent factory-running talents to the running of his household. Playing his wife, Lillian Gilbreth, was Myrna Loy, who had previously been known for her femme fatale roles. Together, Loy and Webb brought to life the Gilbreth family with few discrepancies from the true family’s story. In this film, the Gilbreths suffer a sudden loss at the tail end of the film, pulling the siblings together and proving the strength of a family.
Over half a century later, the 2003 Cheaper By the Dozen remake was released. Shawn Levy, director of the Night at the Museum franchise and producer of Stranger Things, directs the film that won two Young Artist Awards. The Gilbreth name was exchanged for Baker, but the classic twelve kid count was kept. Steve Martin, of Father of the Bride and Three Amigos, brings his comedic skills to the role of the father, Tom Baker, who is now a college football coach with nowhere near the efficient fatherhood of Frank Gilbreth. Bonnie Hunt of Jumanji and The Green Mile plays the more functioning parent, Kate Baker, whose upcoming authorhood has her leaving the home in the care of Tom. The film follows Tom’s crisis as he must choose between his demanding career and his family.
Following the success of Levy’s remake, Cheaper By the Dozen 2 was released in 2005. Adam Shankman, known for directing Hairspray and The Pacifier, directs this sequel to the 2003 film. Martin and Hunt reprise their roles as the couple leading the dysfunctional Baker family. Two years have passed since the closing events of the previous film. Tom convinces his family, some of whom are nearing adulthood and splintering their unit, to take a family vacation at the lake. When another family turns up at the lake, led by Tom’s nemesis, Jimmy Murtaugh (Eugene Levy), a competition between the warring families ensues.
All three films are available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Vudu. The 2003 Cheaper By the Dozen and its 2005 sequel are also streaming on Disney+.
