Dewey Recast in Malcolm Reboot for Good Reason

The Malcolm in the Middle reboot is officially moving forward with the return of the original cast—though there’s one notable exception. Erik Per Sullivan, who brought the quirky youngest brother Dewey to life, will not be reprising his role. Instead, actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark will step into the part for the revival series.

The news was shared by Bryan Cranston during an appearance on Dana Carvey and David Spade’s Fly on the Wall podcast. Cranston recounted his conversation with Sullivan, revealing, “I talked to Erik and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back.’” He continued, “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.’”

Now 33 years old, Sullivan has chosen a different path—one that takes him far from the Hollywood spotlight. As Cranston shared, “He’s actually going to Harvard. He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now.” The actor also admitted he hadn’t acted since his early teens, saying, “Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was nine or something. So I’m not into it.”

After Malcolm in the Middle concluded its original run in 2006, Sullivan stepped away from acting at just 19 years old, shifting his focus to education and personal pursuits. His decision to leave the industry has clearly led him to a fulfilling journey beyond the screen.

As for the rest of the beloved cast, they’re all set to return. Bryan Cranston will reprise his role as Hal, alongside Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois, Justin Berfield as Reese, and Christopher Masterson as Francis.

Filming for the revival wrapped last month. While an official release date hasn’t been announced yet, fans can look forward to four new half-hour episodes arriving soon on Disney+.