Malcolm in the Middle Revival: Major Role Recast Shocks Fans!

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When Malcolm in the Middle returns, someone will be missing from the cast.

Prior to the anticipated return of the popular sitcom for a four-episode revival on Disney+, various sources claim that Erik Per Sullivan won’t be reprising his role as Malcolm’s younger brother Dewey. Instead, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark is set to step into the part.

As a lifestyle expert, I find myself reflecting on the recent news about “Malcolm in the Middle” and its potential update. While die-hard fans may be disheartened by the absence of the original cast members, it’s crucial to consider the realities of their careers post-Malcolm. Specifically, Per Sullivan, one of our beloved characters, has chosen a different path since his days in Hollywood. He bid farewell to the silver screen over a decade ago and hasn’t appeared in any acting roles since the 2010 film “Twelve.” According to his IMDb profile, he took on only four roles after the end of “Malcolm” in 2006, following its successful seven-season run.

TopMob News has reached out to Disney for comment and has yet to hear back.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m thrilled to share that the original cast of “Malcolm in the Middle” will be gracing our screens once more! In this new chapter, yours truly, Frankie Muniz, steps back into the shoes of Malcolm. My brothers, the talented Justin Berfield as Francis and Christopher Masterson as Reese, are also rejoining the family. And let’s not forget the remarkable Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, who will once again breathe life into the characters of Hal and Lois Wilkerson. It’s like we never left!

Besides the initial five stars coming back, the brief revival series will introduce a few fresh characters as well.

In this revival of “Malcolm in the Middle”, Anthony Timpano takes on the role of Malcolm’s youngest sibling, Jamie, who was initially seen as a baby and toddler during the original broadcast. On the other hand, Vaughan Murrae joins the cast as Kelly, the sixth child in the family, whose presence was subtly suggested after Lois held a positive pregnancy test in the final episode of the original series.

According to Variety, Kelly is portrayed as the youngest member of Lois and Hal’s family, demonstrating independence, excelling academically, and displaying a maturity that surpasses most family members. Similar to Murrae, Kelly identifies as non-binary.

In December, it was officially announced that the show will revolve around Malcolm, as portrayed by Muniz, Cranston, and Kaczmarek, coming back home for his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary celebration. Alongside him is his daughter, Leah.

Keeley Karsten has been cast for a role that Deadline refers to as possessing the same sarcastic wit, impulsiveness, and exceptional intelligence as the original character, but she is also more sensitive and emotional. On the other hand, Kiana Madeira will portray Malcolm’s girlfriend, Tristan.

Muniz recently assured fans of the original series that they will be happy with the new episodes.

Ten years ago, at a dinner in 2015, my conversation with Brian began, and now, here we are, 10 years later, 25 years after the show’s start – and it’s finally happening! I can hardly contain my excitement. I believe fans will be equally thrilled to see us all again and witness the innovative ideas we’ve been brewing up.

He added playfully, “For me, it was a significant aspect as well, given the boundless opportunities for exploring Malcolm and his family’s adventures. Since I’ve seen the scripts, I can assure you that the excitement among viewers is going to be quite high.

Keep reading for more updates on the Malcolm in the Middle cast…

Following his meteoric rise to fame as the child prodigy Malcolm, Muniz became one of the most in-demand (and well-compensated) teen actors in Tinseltown, gracing hit movies such as “Big Fat Liar” and “Agent Cody Banks.

However, not long after Malcolm’s career-ending run in 2006, Muniz, now 34 years old, admitted, “I hadn’t been frightened by growing up until last year. Suddenly, the thought of getting older, maturing, and becoming an adult became terrifying to me. I hope things go well in my career. If they don’t, then perhaps it wasn’t meant to be.

After deciding to abandon acting, he chose instead to become a professional race car driver in 2017. That same year, he placed third on “Dancing With the Stars,” and later hosted the spinoff version, “Dancing With the Stars: Juniors.” While competing on “DWTS,” Muniz spoke openly about his memory loss issues, confessing that he can’t recall his time on the popular sitcom.

Back in 2018, I became engaged to my long-term partner, Paige Price. Together, we embarked on a new venture – an olive oil business. We tied the knot in February 2021 and a month later, we were blessed with our first child, our son Mauz Mosley Muniz.

In a departure from his role as Walter White in “Breaking Bad,” Bryan Cranston first gained significant recognition for portraying Hal Wilkerson, the family patriarch. Over the series’ six-year span, he was nominated for three Emmy Awards.

Indeed, Cranston indeed gave one of the most memorable performances on television when he portrayed Walter White, a science teacher turned drug lord, on the acclaimed series “Breaking Bad,” for five consecutive years. During this time, he received four Emmys, solidifying his status as TV’s quintessential anti-hero and forming a strong partnership with his fellow actor Aaron Paul. In 2019, they collaborated to launch their own artisanal mezcal, leaving fans yearning for a “Breaking Bad” reboot disappointed. However, he did appear in a cameo role in the Netflix sequel film, “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.” (By the way, he made an appearance in “El Camino,” the film continuation of “Breaking Bad.”)

After those remarkable performances, Cranston went on to receive widespread praise for his roles in films like “Trumbo” (which landed him his first Oscar nomination) and “Isle of Dogs”, as well as the HBO TV movie “All the Way”. His portrayal of president Lyndon B. Johnson in “All the Way” won him a SAG Award. Prior to its television premiere, “All the Way” had a successful run on Broadway, with Cranston taking home a Tony for his performance there. He earned another Tony in 2019 for his return to the stage in “Network”.

2016 saw Bryan Cranston expressing his hopes for a revival of “Malcolm in the Middle” to TopMob News, stating, “I sincerely hope it happens…I truly do, simply because I miss those people dearly and I still keep in touch with them. The boys are thriving, Jane is flourishing, and I’d be overjoyed if we could work together again.

Throughout her illustrious tenure as Lois on Wilkerson, Kaczmarek, being the only woman in this role, garnered an impressive seven Emmy nominations. This number broke the record for the highest number of nominations in the same category without securing a win.

Following the conclusion of Malcolm in 2006, she went on to appear in a few short-term television shows, such as Help Me Help You, Whitney, and Raising the Bar. Additionally, she made guest appearances on popular series like Law & Order: SVU, The Comeback, The Big Bang Theory, and The Middle. In more recent times, she has been a guest star on This Is Us.

Fans of the series Malcolm received an unforeseen surprise through the Breaking Bad DVD collection, as it contained an alternate finale suggesting that the AMC smash-hit drama’s storyline was actually Walter White (Cranston) experiencing a nightmare, waking up beside Lois in bed.

In “Malcolm,” he portrayed the eldest brother/troubled character named Francis, but this actor is actually the younger sibling of Danny Masterson, a star from “That ’70s Show.” For seven years, he was in a relationship with Laura Prepon, one of Danny’s co-stars on the show. However, they parted ways in 2007.

While appearing on the show, Masterson acted in movies like “Scary Movie 2” and “Wuthering Heights,” and there were rumors that he might take the role of Will Turner in the initial “Pirates of the Caribbean” film, which eventually went to Orlando Bloom. His last on-screen roles were in two episodes of the SyFy series “Haven” in 2014. Since then, he has dedicated himself fully to his DJ career as DJ Chris Kennedy.

In 2019, he tied the knot with actress Yolanda Pecoraro. On April 3, 2021, they were blessed with their firstborn, Chiara Darby Masterson.

Hey there, Reese! For more than 150 episodes, you’ve charmed us as the impulsive second brother. Now at 34 years old, you’ve moved from acting into producing and even co-founded Virgin Produced, which is Virgin Group’s entertainment production company. As per your Instagram posts, you seem to have a passion for fishing!

Did you know this? He boasted subtly when he tweeted, “Beyoncé told me I had beautiful eyes. It’s a fact.” Interestingly enough, for a short while, he was the owner of the house where Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson lived on their reality show Newlyweds, following their separation.

Previously, before baby Jamie arrived, it was Sullivan who portrayed Dewey across every single one of the 151 episodes.

39-years-old at the time, Sullivan decided to retire from acting in 2010. His final role was in the movie “Twelve,” where he shared screen time with actors such as 50 Cent, Chace Crawford, and Emma Roberts.

Following her role as the cherished teacher Caroline Miller alongside Malcolm in the first two seasons, Burns published her debut book, titled “It Hit Me Like a Ton of Bricks“, in 2007. Subsequently, she made appearances in various episodes of TBS’ series called “Search Party“.

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2025-03-26 15:50