Prison Break‘s No. 1 inmate is making a permanent escape from the franchise.
Wentworth Miller, who for five seasons starred as jailbird Michael Scofield on the Fox drama, has announced that his involvement with the series has come to an end.
“I’m out. Of PB. Officially,” he declared to fans in an Instagram post on Sunday, before explaining, “I just don’t want to play straight characters. Their stories have been told (and told).
“So… no more Michael,” continued the actor, who came out as gay in 2013. “If you were a fan of the show, hoping for additional seasons… I understand this is disappointing. I’m sorry.”
After wrapping its four-season run on Fox in 2009, Prison Break was revived by the network in 2017 for nine-episode fifth season. The following year, network president Michael Thorn confirmed that “a new iteration of Prison Break” was in the “very early stages of development.” Fox’s then-CEO Gary Newman later revealed that the new season “would not [feature] an entirely new cast,” adding that series creator Paul Scheuring “had an idea for another season. He came in and pitched it. But it’s super early. We haven’t seen any written materials yet.”
A Fox source, meanwhile, tells TVLine that a sixth season of Prison Break is not currently in active development.
Two of Miller’s Prison Break co-stars are publicly backing his decision to walk away from the series. Commenting on Miller’s Instagram post, Dominic Purcell wrote, “Fully support and understand your reasoning. Glad you have made this decision for you health and your truth.”
Miller’s leading lady Sarah Wayne Callies wrote in her own Instagram post on Monday, “Yesterday, Wentworth Miller announced he’s done playing Michael Scofield because, as a gay man he wants to focus on playing gay characters. With gratitude for all the work we did together, and with deep love, I’m voicing my support for that choice.”
Callies went on to write, “To all the fans, know this: the cast of Prison Break is a queer-friendly space. We stand with — and among — our friends and family in the LGBTQ+ community with full throated support for their rights and artistic work.”
