Erik Per Sullivan’s Choice: Why He Passed on Malcolm in the Middle Return

Bryan Cranston is looking forward to reuniting with his Malcolm in the Middle family – except for Erik Per Sullivan, whose career has taken a new turn.

In the Wednesday, June 12 episode of Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade, Cranston opened up about revisiting the hit show that paved the way for child actors Frankie Muniz, Justin Berfield, and more.

“It’s amazing how these boys who were my boys on that show are now around the same age I was when we first started, and they’ve got children of their own,” Cranston, 69, said.

When asked if Per Sullivan, who played the fan-favorite Dewey Wilkerson, the fourth child in the family of child prodigy Malcolm (Muniz) would return, he confirmed that he would not.

“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,’ ” Cranston recounted of their conversation.

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The actor additionally shed light on what Per Sullivan has been up to over the years since his departure from Hollywood.

“He’s actually going to Harvard,” Cranston explained. “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 9 or something. So I’m not into it.’ ”

Malcolm in the Middle aired from 2000 to 2006 on Fox. The show went on to win seven Emmy awards. In the nearly 20 years since the show’s conclusion, the loyal fanbase has pushed for a revival, and Cranston was working behind the scenes to deliver just that.

“It’s something I was pushing for for the last 10 years, because I thought that the audience is there,” he said, but it took years of discussions with series creator Linwood Boomer to get things off the ground.

“I just started wearing him down until he said, ‘I’ve got an idea.’ I said, ‘good,’ ” he said.

Malcolm in the Middle will return for a limited, four-episode revival on Disney+. A premiere date has not been announced yet.

Jane Kaczmarek, who played the Wilkerson family matriarch Lois, Muniz, Christopher Masterson, and Berfield were confirmed to return as brothers Malcolm, Francis, and Reese earlier this year. The role of Dewey will now be played by Wynonna Earp alum Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.