Fans of Malcolm in the Middle have been eagerly awaiting the return of the iconic sitcom. But when the revival premieres on April 10, 2026, one familiar face will be missing. Erik Per Sullivan, who played the quirky piano prodigy Dewey, turned down a massive payday to reprise his role.

Jane Kaczmarek says Erik Per Sullivan was offered a lot for Malcolm in the Middle revival

Jane Kaczmarek, who plays family matriarch Lois, recently shared just how much the actor walked away from. “He’s studying Dickens and is an incredible student – they offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said: ‘No thank you,’” Kaczmarek said (via The Guardian). The offer was substantial, but it seems Sullivan had other priorities. Notably, he is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Harvard University.

Last year, Bryan Cranston, who plays beloved dad Hal, also spoke with Sullivan about returning for the Malcolm in the Middle revival. On the Fly on the Wall podcast, Cranston recalled their exchange. “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 stated.

The actor added, “He’s actually going to Harvard… 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 nine or something. So I’m not into it.’” Since Malcolm in the Middle ended in 2006 after seven seasons and 151 episodes, Sullivan has stayed out of the public eye. Now in his 30s, he has shown no interest in returning to Hollywood.

The revival, titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, will instead feature Caleb Ellsworth-Clark taking over the role of Dewey. The four-episode special miniseries follows Malcolm as he returns home for Hal and Lois’s 40th wedding anniversary. Most of the original cast is back, including Frankie Muniz, Christopher Masterson, and Justin Berfield.