The last person you’d expect to get shut down is Bryan Cranston, but that’s exactly what Dewey actor Erik Per Sullivan did when it came to the Malcolm in the Middle reboot. Not that there’s any bad blood – he has a very good excuse.
Malcolm in the Middle is considered an all-time classic sitcom, with its era-defining style, humor, and an earworm of a title song (“you’re not the boss of me now” still lives rent-free in most millennial brains).
But what’s maybe even more fascinating is what happened after. The cast scattered in wildly different directions. Malcolm Wilkerson star Frankie Muniz became a real estate investor and NASCAR driver, while Hal’s Cranston became Breaking Bad’s very own Walter White.
As for Dewey’s Sullivan, he seemingly disappeared into obscurity. But now that a Malcolm in the Middle reboot is going ahead, Cranston has shared an update on what he’s up to.
Bryan Cranston reveals why Dewey star won’t be in Malcolm in the Middle reboot
Speaking on the Fly On The Wall podcast, Cranston revealed that Sullivan won’t be joining the revival’s cast as he’s going to Harvard.
“I talked to Erik and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back.’ He goes, ‘Oh, that’s fantastic!’ And I go, ‘Yeah, so we’re looking forward to having you back.’ He goes, ‘Oh, no, no, I don’t want to do it. But it’s fantastic,’” the Breaking Bad star said.
He’s probably the only person in the world to shut down Heisenberg, but as said, there was a good reason for it. And Cranston had nothing but praise to share for his former co-star.
“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 since I was nine or something. So I’m not into it,’” the actor added.
The Malcolm in the Middle revival was confirmed in December 2024. While the original ran for seven seasons on Fox from 2000 to 2006, the reboot will consist of four episodes, which will land on Disney+.
Alongside Cranston and Muniz, returning cast members include Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield as Francis and Reese, respectively. Jane Kaczmarek will also be back as Lois, and newcomer Keeley Karsten has been cast as Malcolm’s daughter, Leah.
The official logline reads: “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.” There’s no official release date at the time of writing, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.
In the meantime, check out the new TV shows coming to streaming, the best series of 2025 so far, and keep tabs on all releases with our 2025 TV release calendar.
