The upcoming Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair revival is bringing the family back together for more chaotic fun, but there’s one key character missing. It turns out it isn’t because the show didn’t try hard enough to make it happen.
According to Jane Kaczmarek, a serious attempt was made to lure him back. She shared in a recent interview that he is “studying Dickens and is an incredible student.
“They offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said, ‘No thank you.’”
Instead of talking a big pay day to step back into Dewey’s shoes, Per Sullivan is fully focused on studying literature at Harvard, choosing a completely different path than acting.
Because of that decision, Dewey is the only member of the original family being recast, with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark stepping into the role.
It’s definitely going to feel a little different for longtime fans, but the rest of the cast is very much intact.
The revival pulls Malcolm back into the family orbit when Hal and Lois demand he show up for their 40th anniversary celebration, which sounds like the perfect setup for things to spiral out of control.
Frankie Muniz returns as Malcolm alongside Bryan Cranston and Kaczmarek as Hal and Lois. Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield are also back as Francis and Reese, with Emy Coligado returning as Piama.
The new story also introduces a few fresh faces to the mix. Anthony Timpano and Vaughan Murrae take on the roles of Jamie and Kelly, while Keeley Karsten plays Malcolm’s daughter Leah and Kiana Madeira appears as his girlfriend Tristan.
Life’s Still Unfair is set to premiere April 10 on Hulu, with international streaming available on Disney+.
It’s kind of wild to hear that Erik Per Sullivan turned down a huge payday, but there’s something really cool about him sticking to his current path.
Source: Deadline
