Wentworth Miller Reveals He Won't Return for More Prison Break

It’s been three years since we last saw the core cast of Fox’s hit action crime thriller Prison Break returned for the latest chapter in Michael Scofield’s journey and after on-and-off talk about possibly continuing the series with a sixth season, chances are it won’t happen now as star Wentworth Miller has revealed in an Instagram post that he won’t return to the series.

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“This is my favorite IG account,” someone wrote in response to a recent post. Thank you. I want you to know I saw that. I see the positive comments and DMs (a lot of them anyway). Affectionate. Supportive. Appreciated (by me). Obviously there are comments and DMs I appreciate less. Who are these people? On my page? What backwards-ass, Stone Age values country did they crawl out of? The U.S.? I won’t be disappearing (too many cool things to repost). The ability to comment likely will. I’m not concerned for myself. I can’t be “bullied” in this space. I have too much power. “Delete. Block. Deactivate.” Etc. But I take seriously the possibility of queer kids visiting here, recently out of the closet or exploring the idea… I don’t want them exposed to bullshit. On a related note… I’m out. Of PB. Officially. Not bec of static on social media (although that has centered the issue). I just don’t want to play straight characters. Their stories have been told (and told). So. No more Michael. If you were a fan of the show, hoping for additional seasons… I understand this is disappointing. I’m sorry. If you’re hot and bothered bec you fell in love with a fictional straight man played by a real gay one… That’s your work. – W.M.

A post shared by @ wentworthmiller on Nov 8, 2020 at 10:05am PST

In the post, Miller outright states he is “out. Of PB. Officially,” elaborating that the decision stems from the fact that he doesn’t “want to play straight characters” anymore as “their stories have been told (and told),” though doesn’t shade any negative light on the series and expressing that “if you were a fan of the show, hoping for additional seasons…I understand this is disappointing. I’m sorry.” Miller’s onscreen brother, Dominic Purcell, with who he also worked with in the Arrowverse, commented his support for Miller’s decision on his post.

“It was fun mate. What a ride it was,” Purcell wrote. “Fully support and understand your reasoning. Glad you have made this decision for you health and your truth. Keep the posts coming. …. love ya brother.”

In addition, Sarah Wayne Callies, who portrays Michael’s love interest Sara, took to Instagram in her own post to share her support for Miller’s decision, writing “yesterday @wentworthmiller 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, & with deep love, i’m voicing my support for that choice.

to all the fans, know this: the cast of prison break is a queer friendly space. we stand with – and among – our friends & family in the LGBTQ+ community with full throated support for their rights and artistic work. all the time. always. and if that’s a problem for anyone, to quote a good man, ‘that’s your work.'”

Created by Paul Scheuring, the series debuted in 2005 and centered on Michael Scofield (Miller) as he’s sent to prison in an effort to save his wrongfully convicted brother Lincoln Burrows (Purcell) from death row and break him out while also looking to find the real perpetrator of the murder he’s accused of, utilizing the help of a select group of fellow inmates and prison doctor Sara (Callies). The first season received rave reviews from critics and audiences and was a ratings smash for Fox, spawning a franchise that included three more seasons, a revival season, a mobile phone spin-off series, magazine, tie-in novel and video game. A sixth season was reportedly in development following the ratings success of the revival, though reports in following years have cast doubt on such an event happening.