Tim Allen says a reboot of “Home Improvement” remains off the table for now, citing unspecified “personality problems” among the actors who played his three sons on the beloved ABC sitcom.
“They keep talking about how it could move forward, but they get stuck [because] there are some personality problems right now with the boys,” Mr. Allen told Us Weekly in an interview published Wednesday. “They’ve got their own issues. I always thought it would be cool if it was a story about them. That’s a little challenging right now, to put it mildly.”
“Home Improvement” ran for eight seasons from 1991 to 1999, with Mr. Allen starring as Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, a bumbling but lovable home-improvement television host raising three sons alongside his wife Jill, played by Patricia Richardson. The boys — Brad, Randy and Mark — were portrayed by Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Taran Noah Smith, respectively.
Bryan, who is currently serving a 16-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in February 2026 to a felony driving under the influence charge stemming from a 2024 arrest in La Quinta, California, is among the cast members Mr. Allen appeared to reference. His blood alcohol content was measured at 0.15%, nearly double the legal limit. The sentence came with an enhancement tied to two prior DUI convictions. Mr. Bryan, who was 9 years old when “Home Improvement” premiered, has been arrested six times over the past five years, with earlier charges including felony assault and domestic violence.
Mr. Thomas, who became a teen idol during the show’s run, stepped away from Hollywood years ago. Ms. Richardson said in a 2024 podcast interview that he is no longer interested in acting. He has not appeared on screen since a guest role on Mr. Allen’s subsequent sitcom “Last Man Standing” in 2015. Mr. Smith, who played the youngest son Mark, has not had an acting credit since a voice part on “Batman Beyond” in 1999.
Mr. Allen, who is currently promoting Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” in which he reprises his role as Buzz Lightyear, has spoken optimistically in recent years about a possible revival centered on the grown Taylor boys.
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