First Look: Michael C. Hall Shares His Thoughts On “Dexter: Resurrection”

Did you think Dexter Morgan’s story was finally over? Think again! The morally complex serial killer, brought to life by the brilliant Michael C. Hall, is clawing his way back from the dead once more in the upcoming series, “Dexter: Resurrection.”

Dexter is Back

The 2000s antihero, Dexter, captivated audiences for eight seasons before delivering a conclusion that left many scratching their heads – Dexter faked his death. In “Dexter: New Blood,” the sequel series seemingly ended Dexter’s existence, with his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott), delivering the fatal blow. Now, the new installment sees Dexter return on a mission to hunt down his son.

Hall himself was the driving force for Dexter’s new chapter. He tells Variety, “We thought it would be the end, but he’s a remarkably resilient guy, so the possibility was always—at least for me—percolating.” Speaking on break from filming “Dexter: Resurrection,” Hall confirms that he was a driving force behind bringing his signature character back to television. He personally reached out to Clyde Phillips, the original showrunner and the creator of “New Blood,” to explore the possibility of a return.

Phillips recalls Hall’s pitch: “‘Dexter is in my bones, and I know what’s in your bones, Clyde. Can you figure out a way to undo what we did at the end of New Blood? Is there a way to make him survive?'” Within a week, Phillips and fellow executive producer Scott Reynolds had a plan, and the answer to Hall’s question was a resounding yes.

While shooting “Dexter: Original Sin,” the fantastic prequel series already renewed and starring Patrick Gibson as a young Dexter, a “Dexter: Resurrection” writers’ room was assembled.

Hall explains to Variety, “The character was severely traumatized by a lot of what happened to him in the original incarnation, and is only now at a place where he’s able to shed that. Spending time with that [Original Sin] material helped embroider and color in what was maybe a line drawing or an outline that I had in my mind from the beginning—so it’s a tool for us.”

“Dexter: Resurrection” is set to premiere this summer on Paramount+ with Showtime. It picks up just weeks after the “New Blood” events and focuses on the dynamic between father and son.

Hall hints at the initial tension, stating, “Dexter has a lot of hesitation about making contact, which is a fundamental part of the tension that is pervasive for the first bit of the season. Harrison revealed himself to be, and remains, an all-the-more potent connection to Dexter’s tiny sense of humanity. He craves it, in spite of himself, so it’s a major bolt of thread running through his interior life and the life of the season.”

A Star-Studded Cast

“Dexter: Resurrection” will feature a star-studded lineup including Neil Patrick Harris, Krysten Ritter, Eric Stonestreet, David Dastmalchian, and more. Old ghosts and new adversaries will also emerge, including Emmy winner Peter Dinklage and Oscar nominee Uma Thurman, his head of security.

Regarding the cast of “Ressurection,” Phillips teases, “John Lithgow and Jimmy Smits will be in for a minute,” reprising their iconic roles as the terrifying Trinity Killer and the morally ambiguous ADA Miguel Prado, respectively. Even Dexter’s late adoptive father, Harry, who instilled the infamous “code” of killing in him, will return in ghost form, once again portrayed by James Remar. And, of course, Harrison will play a significant role in this new chapter.

Just the Beginning

“Dexter: Resurrection” is just the beginning. Not only will “Resurrection” continue the story, but we will also see more of Dexter’s early years in “Dexter: Original Sin.”

Phillips and Hall offer a defiant response. “We’ve got the strongest franchise in Showtime’s history, and we plan to do this for years,” Phillips declares, with Hall chiming in, “Years with an ‘s.’ The thinking is not to return for a self-contained one-off again, but leave it open to further exploration. The intention, and hope, is that the story will continue beyond this.”

We’ll keep you posted as more information surfaces for the two series. In the meantime, you can binge-watch the original series on both Paramount+ and Netflix.