Malcolm in the Middle's Hal actor Bryan Cranston reveals that the OG Dewey actor was asked to return for the sequel series, but they politely declined

Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know. Can you repeat the question? No, not the lyrics to Malcolm in the Middle title song 'Boss of Me' by They Might Be Giants', but all potential responses from OG Dewey actor Erik Per Sullivan when asked by fellow cast member Bryan Cranston whether he would return for the Malcolm in the Middle sequel.

Unfortunately for long-time fans of the hit sitcom, Sullivan decided against making a comeback as the second-youngest member of the Wilkerson clan – but for good reason.

Speaking on the Fly on the Wall podcast (H/T Entertainment Weekly), Cranston spoke to Sullivan – the only main cast member not to return – and assumed he would be on-board with showing up again as Dewey.

"I talked to Eric 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 recalled.

"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.'"

Malcolm in the Middle will return for a four-episode miniseries on Disney Plus, which sees Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) once again enter the orbit of his dysfunctional family during Hal and Lois' (Jane Kaczmarek) 40th wedding anniversary celebrations.

Muniz penned a heartfelt message on social media after filming had wrapped back in May, describing the experience as something he wished "could go on forever."

"I'm so happy to have gotten the chance to relive being on this show with a greater appreciation of what we were making knowing how many people around the world truly love Malcolm and his family," Muniz wrote on Twitter. "Another big thing I am taking away from this experience is how much I truly love being an actor. I never officially felt like that label fit me, but now I wear that label proudly and hope to do so much more of it in the future."

For more, check out the new TV shows coming your way in 2025 and our picks for the best shows on Disney Plus.