The actor also talked about the three events that changed everything in the original series.
When Dexter ended its original run in 2013, Michael C. Hall thought the character was gone for good. But like the Dark Passenger itself, the urge to return lingered — quietly, insistently — until one day, it resurfaced.
And when it did, Hall knew exactly who to call. In a recent interview with Emmy Magazine, Hall (and James Remar) discussed Dexter.
“I said, ‘I know this is crazy, but what if that gunshot didn’t actually kill him?’” says Hall, who is an executive producer of the Dexter franchise. “And Marcos Siega (director) was interested in exploring that notion. I spoke to Clyde Phillips about it, then Gary Levine, and the next thing I knew, ideas were swirling around, and it gained its own momentum. I became increasingly compelled by the idea of Dexter surviving that trauma and maybe finding, as a result, a new lease on life and a new access to a sense of himself that he’d longed for for years but had never quite managed to find.”
That idea became Dexter: Resurrection, the highly anticipated 10-episode revival premiering July 11. For Hall, the decision to return wasn't just about the opportunity to resurrect an iconic character — it was also about exploring the emotional journey that brought Dexter to that fateful place in the first place.
A Reluctant Star, A Relentless Character
Even at the beginning, Hall hadn’t been eager to lead another series right after HBO's Six Feet Under.
“I felt like there was a decent chance we’d find a little niche audience,” Hall says. “But I had no inkling it would be so broadly appealing, or that the character would abide in the way he has.”
James Remar, who played Dexter’s adoptive father Harry Morgan, agrees:
“I think that [relatability] is the strength of the show — and the center of it is Michael C. Hall. I can’t imagine anyone else being Dexter,” Remar says.
The Three Events That Changed Everything
While the new series offers a fresh take, Hall reflects on three key events from the original run that shaped Dexter’s evolution — and his own understanding of the character:
“The first big thing I’d point to is the birth of his son — his humanity being evident in a flesh-and-blood being outside his own body,” Hall says. “Once his son came into the world, that fundamental line that Dexter drew between himself and the rest of the world and humanity became blurred. The second pivotal moment is when, in spite of his having vanquished Trinity and killed him, Trinity killed Dexter’s wife — that’s the first big casualty of an innocent person dying, and it was because of his indulgence in this relationship with Trinity. The third thing I’d point to is the loss of his sister.”
After burying Debra’s body at sea in the original series finale, Dexter abandoned his son and went into what Hall calls self-imposed exile.
“In those 10 years, to some degree he was on the run from himself,” Hall says. “He wasn’t apprehended or thrown in jail, but he locked himself up, because he felt like that’s what he deserved.”
A Return to the Kill Suit
With the premiere just weeks away, Hall is reflective but energized. Dexter: Resurrection promises to explore new territory — emotional and moral — even as it reawakens the dark thrill that made the original series unforgettable.
“Something about this story felt different,” Hall says. “It’s not just about survival. It’s about reckoning. Redemption. Rebirth.”
The full story, titled Making a Killing, is available in Emmy Magazine, Issue #8, 2025.
Source: Emmy Magazine