The planned reboot of the hit sitcom, Malcolm In The Middle, will be missing a key member of the original cast. bryan Cranston recently revealed that Erik per Sullivan, who played dewey, declined to participate in the upcoming revival to focus on his master’s degree at Harvard University.

the sitcom, which aired for seven seasons on Fox between 2000 and 2006, is set to return for a four-episode run on Disney+. Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are confirmed to reprise their roles as Hal and Lois, the parents of Malcolm and his brothers. Frankie Muniz, Christopher Masterson, and Justin Berfield are also slated to return.

cranston shared the details of Sullivan’s decision on the Fly On The Wall podcast. According to cranston, he approached Sullivan about the reboot, saying, “Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back.” Sullivan’s response was eager, but he ultimately declined the offer, stating, “Oh, no, no, I don’t wont to do it.But it’s fantastic.”

Cranston further explained, “he’s actually going to Harvard… He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now. He said, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted as I was 9 or something. So I’m not into it.'”

Sullivan’s Disinterest in Acting

Kaczmarek had previously indicated that Sullivan was no longer interested in pursuing acting. She noted that after dedicating seven years to Malcolm In The Middle, starting at age seven, he chose to focus on his education at a prestigious university. Kaczmarek said, “He wasn’t interested in acting, at all… I admire it as so manny people think being in show business is the greatest thing in the world, it’s not for everyone”.

“Oh God, no, I haven’t acted as I was 9 or something. So I’m not into it.”

Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, known for his role in the TV adaptation of Fargo, will take Sullivan’s place in the reboot.While a specific release date has not been announced, reports indicate that filming concluded in May.

The reboot will feature Malcolm as a father. The official logline reveals that “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party”.