Clyde Phillips has now clarified whether the elusive serial killer will make be in the upcoming season.
Even though the first season of Dexter: Resurrection focused heavily on Dexter’s new life in New York City, his attempt to reconnect with Harrison, and Leon Prater, something else stole the spotlight. Beneath all the family drama and the dangerous cat-and-mouse games with Batista, fans became obsessed with a mystery that kept getting stronger week by week, as the episodes rolled on.
A serial killer with the moniker 'New York Ripper' lurked beneath the surface of the story, a person so elusive that viewers didn’t even get a name until the season finale revealed him as Don Framt.
As the ten-episode season unfolded, the writers sprinkled just enough breadcrumbs to keep the mystery and hype alive. Whoever this killer was, he had managed to stay ahead of police for decades, leaving behind a legacy of brutality that still haunted the city, and Claudette Wallace herself. By the time Episode 7 arrived, it became clear he wasn’t done leaving scars, choosng to torment the families of his past victims long after successfully retiring from murder.
His methods were horrifying, and the show even hid clues in plain sight, hidden behind the seemingly simple opening title card. Fans eventually caught on, but the biggest question was still there: who exactly was this monster?
Throughout the summer, theories exploded across the fandom. Viewers pointed fingers at nearly every new character introduced in Resurrection, and some even circled back to old names like Jonah Mitchell, convinced the story might be looping to past events. But the finale shut down every single one of those theories in one blow. The New York Ripper wasn’t someone we already knew at all, but someone brand new.
His identity finally came to light through Prater’s files, confirming that the killer’s real name is Don Framt. Episode 10 made it official. With that reveal on the table, fans immediately began debating whether this storyline was meant to continue into the next season or if it was something Detective Claudette Wallace would take on solo.
A recent interview on the Dark Passengers Podcast put an end to all the speculation. Clyde Phillips, executive producer and showrunner of Dexter: Resurrection, made it clear that Don Framt isn’t going anywhere. “He’ll be in the second season,” Phillips said, confirming that the New York Ripper’s storyline will stretch into the next season.
This aligns with how Season 1 subtly built him up without ever revealing his face, setting the stage for a bigger payoff later, something that Dexter never did in any previous season. This confirmaiton, also shuts down a popular post-finale theory suggesting the Ripper was never meant to be a real character, but instead a symbolic nod for Wallace to get the closure Batista never received with Dexter. Phillips’ statement leaves no room for that interpretation now.
So here we are. Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 is officially bringing back Don Framt, the New York Ripper, and with the showrunner’s approval on the storyline, we can let the theorizing begin again with a bit more certainty.
Still, one question looms larger than the rest. Who will portray this elusive serial killer? Over the past few months, several names have floated around online, with Bryan Cranston becoming the most talked-about contender. Nothing is confirmed yet, but hte coming months are likely to bring more news about the actor who will step into the Ripper’s shoes and whether he’ll become the main antagonist of Season 2.