Those hyper-real images make it look like Breaking Bad and Dexter finally collide in Resurrection’s second season, but... they are entirely fabricated.
Scrolling through social platforms has become such a normal part of everyday life that it’s easy to forget how often what we see isn’t quite what it appears to be. With today’s level of technology and the rise of advanced AI tools, even the most attentive users can be misled without actually realizing it.
That’s exactly what happened with a bunch of images that surfaced on Instagram and TikTok a couple of days ago and quickly exploded across multiple accounts, racking up millions of views, and hundreds of thousands of likes. The pics, which were created with AI, appeared to show Michael C. Hall filming Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 in a snowy New York City. Standing beside him, blended among crew members, were Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.
Something that immediately made fans go crazy was that both actors were dressed as their iconic Breaking Bad characters, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. The shots were convincing enough that many viewers genuinely believed a crossover episode was somehow being filmed for the upcoming season of Dexter: Resurrection. Comment sections filled up with reactions from fans who were certain their long-imagined dream was finally coming true!
Fortunately, a large portion of the audience caught on quickly. The two shows belong to different networks, all three actors in the images looked at least ten years younger, and production on Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 is not scheduled to begin until April 2026. All of this made it clear the photos weren’t real.
The original intention behind the posts seems to have been to draw attention to recent updates shared by showrunner Clyde Phillips during a podcast appearance, not to deceive fans. Still, the images managed to fool a surprising number of people. Even director Marcos Siega noticed the buzz and stepped in on Instagram, commenting “Amazing but fake!” to help set the record straight.
Moments like this one highlight not only how much Dexter and Breaking Bad remain part of the pop culture, but also how strongly recent casting rumors have influenced fan expectations, especially after speculation in late August suggested Bryan Cranston might join Dexter: Resurrection Season 2. With the New York Ripper now confirmed to appear next season, fans have been more eager than ever to imagine unexpected possibilities.
Believe it or not, a crossover between Dexter and Breaking Bad has actually been a fan fantasy since the early 2010s, when both shows were reaching their final seasons. It is something that will almost certainly never happen, but a role for Cranston in Dexter: Resurrection is the closest viewers could realistically hope for. And whehter he would portray the New York Ripper or another entirely new character is something only the writers (and ultimately Paramount) will decide.