Surprising reason why Malcom in the Middle star Dewey isn't returning for revival revealed

Bryan Cranston has revealed the reason why the actor who played Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle will not reprise his role.

After two decades, the hit noughties show is set to return to our screens in December 2025, with filming already wrapped up.

You should expect to see the same faces return for the 4-part miniseries, with Breaking Bad's Cranston returning as dad Hal, Frankie Muniz set to star once again as Malcolm, Justin Berfield as Reese, and Jane Kaczmarek as mom Lois.

Christopher Masterson will also return as their Hal and Lois' eldest son Francis.

As for fan favorite Dewey, the youngest family member, he will be donned by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark - with original actor Erik Per Sullivan turning down the chance to reprise his role.

Sullivan, who is now 33, hasn't appeared in a production since the 2010 movie Twelve - which featured 50 Cent. The former Malcolm in the Middle actor was 18 at the time.

Now, the four-time Primetime Emmy Awards winner for the 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series' category, Cranston has revealed why Sullivan turned down the chance at playing the role which he donned from 2000 to 2006, appearing in every episode.

While appearing as a guest on Dana Carvey and David Spade's Fly on the Wall podcast, the 69-year-old explained how he had a conversation about Sullivan to see why he wouldn't be returning.

"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 told Carvey and Spade.

"He's actually going to Harvard."

The main 'Malcolm In The Middle' cast minus Lois - the mom of the family played by Jane Kaczmarek (Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Spade interjected by suggesting that Sullivan is 'a normal person now', to which Cranston replied: "Well, I don't think - he's not normal, because he's really - not in my circle normal - he's really, really smart and he's getting, I think he's getting his masters 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'."

His on-screen mom, Kaczmarek, has also spoken out about the actor previously.

She reassured fans that the star is 'very, very well' but just isn't acting anymore, per the BBC.

"He did Malcolm for seven years, he started at seven, he ended at 14," she said. "He wasn't interested in acting, at all."

She added she 'admire[s]' Sullivan stepping away from the industry to chase his own dreams 'because so many people think being in show business is the greatest thing in the world'.

"It's not for everyone," she added.