It’s bittersweet news 😭

The Malcolm in the Middle revival is here and the first cast announcement has been made, however, fans can’t help but lament the loss of one pivotal actor from the line-up.

The original hit sitcom first premiered in 2000, with its last episode airing in May 2006. Now, nearly 20 years later, fans are being treated to a Disney+ revival series.

However, not all of the original cast members will be returning and there’s one member of the family viewers are particularly upset over not seeing on screen again.

Cast announcements

Frankie Muniz is set to reprise the titular role alongside Breaking Bad legend Bryan Cranston once more taking on the role of his dad Hal and Jane Kaczmarek (Reviving Ophelia) reprising Malcolm’s mom, Lois, Variety reports.

Christopher Masterson (Scary Movie 2) and Justin Berfield (Sons of Tucson) will return as Malcolm’s brothers Francis and Rees, however, Dewey is being recast with The Thicket’s Caleb Ellsworth-Clark taking on the role instead.

And while many can’t wait to see Ellsworth-Clark in the role, it hasn’t stopped fans of the original lamenting the loss of Erik Per Sullivan from the line-up.

Fans’ reactions

One Twitter user said: “Just found out they recasted Dewey in Malcolm in the middle reboot .. I DONT WANT NONE OF IT THEY CAN KEEP IT.”

“The Malcolm in the Middle reboot is recasting Dewey? Literally whats the point of rebooting it then,” another said.

A third wrote: “Life is unfair.”

However, another user shared comparison pictures of the two Dewey actors, writing: “The new actor playing Dewey in the Malcolm in the Middle reboot might actually be the perfect recast holy s**t.”

But why isn’t Sullivan returning to the role?

Why Sullivan isn’t set to return

Well, on-screen mom Kaczmarek reassured on fan site Malcolm France last year, as quoted by the BBC, the star is ‘very, very well’ but just isn’t acting anymore – his last credit on IMDB from 2010.

“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.

However, others who are focusing on a career on screen and are joining the original cast members include Kiana Madeira (Fear Street) who’s set to join as the star’s girlfriend, alongside Anthony Timpano (Mixtape) playing Jamie and Vaughan Murrae (Ghostwriter) starring as youngest sibling, Kelly