With the new leadership in place, the era of multiple Dexter spinoffs is long gone.
For nearly two decades, Dexter has been one of Showtime (and Paramount’s) most valuable and defining properties. Since its debut in 2006, the series was the network’s flagship show that not only earned critical acclaim but also became a consistent money-maker. It’s no surprise, then, that after the Dexter: New Blood finale in 2022, conversations quickly began about turning the franchise into a full-fledged “Dexter-verse,” with multiple spinoffs.
But the idea of expanding Dexter isn’t new. In fact, the first spark was lit way back in 2013, when the original series aired its controversial finale. Over the following years, fans and journalists repeatedly asked Michael C. Hall whether he’d ever return as Dexter Morgan, a wish that, in time, came true not once, but twice.
Then, in 2023, Showtime officially announced its ambitious plans for three Dexter spinoffs. Of those, only one ever made it to the screen: Dexter: Original Sin. The series performed well with strong viewership and fan support, but despite that success, it was abruptly un-renewed after just one season in August 2025. So, what changed?
The answer is simple: new leadership.
This past August, Paramount underwent a major transformation following its merger with Skydance, a deal that had been in the works for months. With the merger came a complete shift in priorities and billion-dollar investments into new areas of entertainment. As a result, several previously greenlit projects were shelved or cancelled, and Dexter: Original Sin became the first major casualty.
The warning signs were there even before Skydance officially took over. Many of Paramount’s key executives, those responsible for developing and overseeing Dexter projects, either stepped down or were let go. Since then, and especially this week, hundreds of layoffs have hit Paramount, MTV, and CBS across various departments, signaling a sweepnig internal reset.
Just four months ago, at the Dexter: Resurrection premiere event in New York City, many of the executives behind Showtime and Paramount’s Dexter strategy were still in attendance. Today, almost none of them remain. The message is clear: priorities have changed, and for now, Dexter: Resurrection will stand alone as the franchise’s only active series.
All other Dexter spinoffs are dead.
Following the cancellation of Original Sin, despite an impressive 105,000 verified fan signatures on a petition to save it, the planned Trinity prequel, which already had ten completed scripts, has also been scrapped. Any potential spinoffs featuring new characters introduced in Dexter: Resurrection have likewise been abandoned.
Before Resurrection premiered, credible reports suggested that Showtime and Paramount were considering additional series centered on characters from the sequel. As it turned out that one of them was Krysten Ritter’s Mia Lapierre, also known as Lady Vengeance. Ritter herself even hinted at the idea in multiple interviews. Unfortunately, those plans now appear to be permanently shelved.
At this point, it’s safe to say that Dexter: Resurrection could mark the final chapter of the Dexter franchise. The series recently wrapped its ten-episode first season and was renewed for Season 2 in early October, ensuring that the story will continue, at least for now. But with Paramount’s new leadership moving in a diffrent direction, there are no other Dexter projects currently in development.
Despite these changes, Dexter remains a cultural phenomenon, continuing to attract new fans like never before. While the future may hold fewer spinoffs than we once hoped for, Dexter: Resurrection proves that there’s still plenty of life left in the series.