Paramount+’s investment in the dark side of humanity is yielding so much more Dexter. The Original Sin spin off has been renewed, and a Trinity Killer prequel series is also in the works. That’s not all, of course. This year, Michael C. Hall will be back in the full flesh (after monologuing for Original Sin and spending a few seconds onscreen) in Dexter: Resurrection, which will follow up on his inexplicable survival of two series finales.
Dude not only sailed directly into a hurricane in Dexter but also instructed Harrison on where to shoot him in New Blood with Showtime chief Gary Levine calling that finale “a profoundly powerful conclusion to our beloved and extraordinary series.” That somehow didn’t stop Dexter Morgan coming back again, so let’s cut through what we can expect for Resurrection‘s liftoff.
Cast
It’s a lot.
Each season in the Dexter franchise generally involves a Big Bad, and the plethora of casting tidbits encourages speculation about who could fill that role for Resurrection‘s first season. This sequel series is unloading an enormous cast full of TV heavy hitters, and everybody is… a suspect.
For example, Peter Dinklage’s role should, at minimum, be connected to whomever is the ultimate new villain. The Game of Thrones star will step into the shoes of “Leon Prater, a billionaire venture capitalist,” who presents himself as “a generous philanthropist, but behind his polished exterior lies dark intrigue.” Please let him be a fancy murderer.
On an equally promising note, Krysten Ritter will portray a recurring character, “Mia Lapierre, a renowned sommelier who may be hiding a serial killer secret.” Ritter was seen filming in NYC with Hall, and David Dastmalchian is also onboard as “Gareth” and posed for a “goth fam” photo with Ritter before being snapped on set with Hall’s Dexter… who is wearing a killer suit? Oh please.
Then Neil Patrick Harris signed on for an undisclosed role (maybe for some Gone Girl vibes? hmm), because the casting drip-drip news keeps happening, Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet is in, too.
As already mentioned, Michael C. Hall will be back after Patrick Gibson performed as a fine young serial killer in Original Son, where Dex crafted his Code. The series will include multiple other returning characters, including Dexter’s son, Harrison, who returned as a young adult in New Blood and will still be portrayed by Jack Alcott. He, too, has a Dark Passenger although it appears that he blocked that treadmill trauma. If Dexter: Resurrection refuses to follow up on that important moment in franchise history, then it. is. on.
Other sure things include Miami PD’s Angel Batista (David Zayas, after James Martinez picked up the earlier Angel in Original Sin) after he surfaced in New Blood. James Remar is back as Harry Morgan, the late adoptive father to Dexter in either ghost and/or flashback form, but Jennifer Carpenter is not returning as Ghost Deb after haunting Dexter in New Blood, and she told People, “I hope that they’re having a wonderful time.”
And on a “huh?” note, John Lithgow will come back as the Trinity Killer. That doesn’t seem possible, given the whole “hammer”-wielding thing on Dexter’s behalf, but Lithgow admitted, “I just went back to do a day,” and “it turns out he didn’t die after all. I come back sort of as a phantom, as he gradually comes to life on a hospital bed.” Alright.
Plot
The show looks to be location hopping with filming taking place in both NYC, where Dex is apparently focused now, and in Miami, where Angel Batista might be brewing up PD plans.
Meanwhile, showrunner Clyde Phillips has done an amazing job (no joke) of revealing virtually nothing about the Dexter: Resurrection plot while being quizzed this month about the Original Sin season finale. We do know, however, that Dexter was saved from bleeding out in the snow by the cold temperature itself, and this sequel series should pick up shortly after Original Sin and take place in present time.
As for logistics? Who knows. Dexter was rushed in for surgery, so presumably, he will manage to weasel his way out of custody and flee to new surroundings. He also will have a rough time getting cozy with law enforcement as he did in New Blood since his cover has been blown. Additionally, New Blood revealed that Yvonne Strahovski’s Hannah had passed away, so that rules out a handy international link for escape, but Dexter always manages to find a new way, like life in Jurassic Park.
One thing is certain, which is that Michael C. Hall remains tickled by how this franchise (which also found new viewers via Netflix) keeps finding new life, and he suggested that Dexter’s appeal could be down to viewers craving a character “who’s taking his own, unique control of his little corner of the world. I think we all have our shadow side that we contend with and Dexter’s is obviously a little weightier than most.” He added, “People enjoy spending time with someone who is doing his best to take responsibility for that side in his sort of outside-the-box way and morally grey way … maybe contending with it in a way that is arguably admirable — even though he’s doing what he’s doing.”
Filming began on January 17, as Hall revealed in a social media video post.
Release Date
Dexter doesn’t have to worry about taking several months of post-production for visual effects, so even though the reboot is still currently shooting, Paramount promised Summer 2025 in the below video with Hall impishly inquiring, “Did you miss me?”
Trailer
Since we discussed the infamous treadmill scene, the following display (OW OW) can fill in for a trailer: