Dewey From Malcolm in the Middle Turned Down “Buckets of Money” to Return for Revival

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As a huge fan of Malcolm in the Middle, I was so excited to hear they were bringing it back after all these years with Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair! It’s a bit bittersweet though, because Erik Per Sullivan, the actor who played little Dewey, isn’t part of the revival. It just feels strange not seeing him with the family again.

As a huge fan of Malcolm in the Middle, I was surprised to learn Per Sullivan, who played Stevie, isn’t returning for the revival! I heard he’s been retired from acting for over 15 years – his last role was in a movie called Twelve back in 2010 – and apparently turned down some really good offers to come back. It’s awesome to see Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson, Justin Berfield, and Emy Coligado all reprising their roles, though. They’re bringing back the whole family, plus some new characters and, unfortunately, they’ve had to recast Per Sullivan’s part.

Per Sullivan is Done With Malcolm In The Middle For Good

Now that Per Sullivan won’t be returning as Dewey in the show’s revival, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark (known for roles in Wynonna Earp, The Expanse, and Joe Pickett) has been cast in the role. Linwood Boomer, the creator of both Malcolm in the Middle and the revival, explained that despite trying multiple times, they couldn’t convince Per Sullivan to return, leading to the need to recast the part. Boomer stated:

I kept bothering him, and then he asked if I still wanted to be an actor. I told him I didn’t, and he just said, ‘Okay, then… just leave me alone.’

In 1978, Boomer became part of the popular show Little House on the Prairie, playing the character Adam Kendall. He later began working behind the scenes as a creator. He explained that he went to great lengths to accommodate a colleague, Dewey, saying, “I really tried everything I could. That’s why Dewey is always on Zoom. I offered to film at his house using a green screen, and we could have finished it in just half a day.”

Jane Kaczmarek, who played Malcolm’s mother Lois on the show, also shared with The Guardian that Bryan Cranston is currently studying Dickens and is a very dedicated student. Despite receiving substantial offers to reprise his role, he politely declined.

The upcoming revival of Malcolm in the Middle introduces Anthony Timpano as Jamie, Lois and Hal’s fifth child, who now works for the U.S. Coast Guard. Joining the cast in new roles are Vaughan Murrae as Kelly, Kiana Madeira as Tristan, and Keeley Karsten as Leah. Kelly is Hal and Lois’ youngest child, Tristan is Malcolm’s girlfriend, and Leah is Malcolm and his partner’s daughter.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair features four new half-hour episodes bringing Malcolm back together with his famously chaotic family to celebrate his parents’, Lois and Hal, 40th wedding anniversary. All four episodes were directed by Ken Kwapis.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is available to stream on Hulu.

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2026-04-14 04:38