The popular TV show Malcolm in the Middle is set to make a comeback, however, one significant cast member will not be joining.
The series originally aired in 2000, featuring actors like Bryan Cranston before his rise to fame with Breaking Bad, and Frankie Muniz as Malcolm.
The storyline centered on Malcolm Wilkerson’s teenage years and his family life with parents Lois and Hal, and siblings Reese, Francis, Dewey, and Jamie.
The revival of the show has been confirmed, with plans for the reboot to air in 2026.
The new storyline will focus on an adult Malcolm reuniting with his siblings for the celebration of their parents’ 40th wedding anniversary.
Most of the original actors will appear in the four-episode reboot, but one key actor will not participate.
Frankie Muniz, who will reprise his role, discussed Erik Per Sullivan’s absence from the reboot with the New York Post.
Muniz, now 39, shared: “He’s very happy in the life that he’s created outside of the entertainment world.
“And he made the decision that he didn’t want to get back into it — which we completely respect.”
Muniz, who has since pursued a career in racing, mentioned that they talked to Per Sullivan about having someone else play his character.
He noted: “We had his blessing from day one to have the role be in the show and recast it. So I hope people aren’t too upset that he didn’t come back, but it was by his choice.”
The question is, who will take over the role of Dewey?
Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, known for his roles in Fargo and The Expanse, will portray Dewey.
Muniz commented, “We started talking about doing the reboot over ten years ago. And then Bryan Cranston really kind of took the lead in pushing it. But early on, we sent out an email, me and Bryan, to everybody kind of saying like, ‘Hey, if this happened, would you guys be interested?’ Just to gauge.”
“And we knew early on that Erik was not going to be part of it,” Muniz added.
Muniz also discussed his transition to racing, expressing: “I had only acted since I was eight. So eight to 22. It’s all I knew. I loved it — but I also knew that I wanted to try something else.”