Malcolm Reboot Recasts Dewey for New Role

The long-awaited Malcolm in the Middle reboot is officially moving forward with nearly all original cast members reuniting - with one notable exception. While Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muinz, Jane Kaczmarek, Justin Berfield, and Christopher Masterson will reprise their iconic roles, Erik Per Sullivan won't be returning as fan-favorite Dewey.

Cranston recently shared details about Sullivan's departure during an appearance on the Fly on the Wall podcast with Dana Carvey and David Spade. "I reached out to Erik and told him, 'Great news - we're bringing the show back!'" Cranston recounted. "He responded enthusiastically, 'That's amazing!' But when I mentioned we'd love to have him back, he politely declined, saying, 'Oh no, I'm not interested in acting anymore - but I'm thrilled for you all.'"

The 33-year-old former actor has an impressive reason for his decision - he's currently pursuing graduate studies at Harvard University. "He's an exceptionally bright guy," Cranston explained. "He's working on his master's degree at Harvard right now. Erik told me, 'I haven't acted since I was basically a kid - it's just not my path anymore.'"

Following Malcolm in the Middle's initial seven-season run from 2000-2006, Sullivan gradually stepped away from acting, making his final professional appearance in 2010's Holy Money at age 19. While he's chosen academia over Hollywood, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark will take over the role of Dewey for the revival.

Production recently concluded on the four-episode revival series, though Disney+ hasn't yet announced a premiere date for the highly anticipated reunion.