Is it possible for the series to actually beat the odds and survive Paramount+?
The wave of expanding hit stories into franchises has changed television in recent years, and the trend is not slowing down. Whenever a show builds a fanbase and proves it can bring in steady revenue, studios naturally look for ways to grow that universe. Paramount embraced that strategy early, just as it did with Yellowstone, and by 2023 the plan was clear: That Dexter would evolve into a multi-series franchise.
Three shows were put into early development at the time, yet only one of them ever moved forward: the recently cancelled prequel Dexter: Original Sin. The Harrison-led sequel series and the Trinity Killer prequel remained on the sidelines.
Once Michael C. Hall agreed to return as Dexter Morgan for Dexter: Resurrection, the sequel centered on Harrison naturally lost its purpose instantly. The Trinity prequel, on the other hand, kept resurfacing on regular basis, causing debate every time any new official details emerged.
Based on the feedback we've been receiving through our social media, fans were always skeptical on the idea of exploring Arthur Mitchell’s early years. Many felt quite uneasy about giving a younger version of such an evil character his own series. Despite that, updates continued to appear every now and then. The first season was reportedly fully written and described as “beautiful,” and John Lithgow, who has been busy with HBO’s Harry Potter adaptation, was expected to narrate it. Even with those interesting details, the project remained in limbo.
But...everything shifted after the Paramount–Skydance merger. Under the previous leadership, Dexter was treated like a significant asset, and a centerpiece of Showtime’s identity. Those priorities changed overnight. Original Sin was cancelled, and although the network hasn’t issued an official statement about the Trinity prequel, the likelihood of it ever entering production has become very small. At this point, Dexter: Resurrection is the only project thte new regime is actually keeping alive, despite the strong complaints from fans about the prequel.
That led many of us to wonder whether the Trinity prequel could be sold elsewhere. Since Original Sin is fully produced and owned outright by Paramount, it cannot move to another network. But the Trinity project, an unaired series that never made it past the script stage, seemed like it might have a different fate. Could it start over at a new home?
During his interview on The Dark Passengers: A Dexter Podcast, showrunner Clyde Phillips made the situation clear. He explained that he doesn’t own the series, that Paramount controls the rights, and that he doubts the network has any intention of making it. His comments confirmed that the Trinity prequel was not just developed under Paramount, but in fact it was sold to them entirely.
That means the series cannot be pitched or relocated elsewhere, no matter how much interest other networks might have had or how many of us hoped for a second chance. Because Paramount holds full ownership, the future of the project is actually in its hands. Unless the studio has a dramatic change of heart, those completed scripts will remain on the shelf indefinitely.