Showtime‘s new leadership has made their first major programming decision, and it involves the network’s flagship Dexter franchise.
The Paramount TV Studios team, led by Matt Thunell, which took oversight of Showtime following Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount Global, has signaled its commitment to the mothership series starring Michael C. Hall — whose current incarnation, Dexter: Resurrection, is airing its first season — while prequel series Dexter: Original Sin will not be moving forward.
The new executive team has commissioned a Season 2 writers room for Dexter: Resurrection ahead of its Season 1 finale with the intention of greenlighting the new season subject to budget approvals.
With the health of the Hall-led mothership considered key to the longevity of the franchise, Showtime will not be proceeding with prequel Dexter: Original Sin.
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There is confusion over the status of Original Sin. The previous Showtime regime announced in early April that Season 2 had been greenlighted, with a writers room to open soon and production dates to be set.
According to sources, a writers room did not open and production dates were never set. Sources indicated that the reasons may have been logistical, with Dexter franchise showrunner Clyde Phillips moving writers to Resurrection after Season 1 of Original Sin was done as the former, a continuation of limited series Dexter: New Blood with Hall back as the titular character, got fast-tracked. The writing team will now return for Season 2 of Resurrection.
With Season 2 of Original Sin in limbo when the new regime came in, they focused on Resurrection, making the prequel’s hiatus permanent.
Prequels were key to former Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy’s strategy for building expansive universes around popular IP. Following his departure, the future of other Dexter prequels, including one focusing on the Trinity Killer, is uncertain.
From creator, showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips, Dexter: Original Sin followed serial killer Dexter Morgan, with Hall as the prequel’s narrator. Patrick Gibson played Dexter in his late teens, when he was a baby slayer in training, 15 years before the events of the original Dexter series.
Set in 1991 Miami, Original Sin followed Dexter (Gibson), a student refining his killer skills with the help and support of his adoptive father Harry (Christian Slater). In his dad, he finds solace and understanding, especially as his bloodthirsty urges grow and can no longer be ignored.
Season 1 also starred Molly Brown, Christina Milian, James Martinez, Alex Shimizu and Reno Wilson, with guest stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Patrick Dempsey.
Dexter: Original Sin premiered on December 13 with 2.1M global viewers across Paramount+ and Showtime in the first three days of availability. By the time of the show’s finale on Valentine’s Day, the finale audience grew 27% over the December premiere with a tally of 2.68M global viewers on Paramount+ with Showtime.
The news of Dexter: Original Sin’s cancellation and Resurrection writers room was first reportetd by Variety.