Although there was plenty of room to include the two new series regulars in the first batch of Season 2 stills, Paramount+ chose to leave them out... for now.
Before the official first look at Dexter: Resurrection Season 2 was released, many fans expected one thing above all else. And that is their first official glimpse at the show's two newest and biggest serial killers. Instead, Paramount+ chose to keep both of them hidden.
As the second season enters its 16th week of filming in New York City, the network finally did what viewers had been waiting months for, by releasing the first official photos from the upcoming season.
Just like last year with Season 1, Paramount kicked off the marketing campaign with a collection of promotional images from various episodes. While most of them are fairly spoiler-free, one photo actually had everyone talking as it revealed an exciting new casting addition that came as a surprise to many heavy metal fans.
Two Major Season 2 Characters Are Nowhere to Be Seen
Although the first-look photos feature both returning and new series regulars, including Desmond Harrington as Joey Quinn, Bokeem Woodbine as Captain Mixon, and Nona Parker Johnson as Fiona Mixon, they noticeably leave out two of Season 2's biggest new characters.
More specifically, Brian Cox's New York Ripper and Dan Stevens' Five Borough Killer are completely absent from all 10 official images released by Paramount+ on July 28.
That is especially surprising because Brian Cox and Dan Stevens were among the very first actors announced as series regulars after production began. Considering how much discussion Cox's character has caused over the past few months, many fans are now wondering why Paramount decided not to include either of them.
Looking back at the first official photos for Dexter: Resurrection Season 1 in 2025, the approach was a bit different.
Paramount+ released 12 images from the first five episodes, and together they introduced every major series regular to audiences, from Peter Dinklage and Uma Thurman to other new and returning main cast members. This time, however, the network appears to have deliberately held back its two newest villains.
Why Is Paramount Keeping Them Secret?
While there's no actual explanation, there are a few possible reasons.
One possibility is that Paramount simply wants to preserve some mystery around Brian Cox's New York Ripper. Although the actor has been photographed on set multiple times over the past few months, those paparazzi images actually reached only the most dedicated fans. Official promotional photos receive far more attention, so the studio may have decided that now isn't the right time to fully reveal the character.
That decision may also have been influenced by the reaction to Cox's casting announcement back in April. Many fans felt that revealing the actor behind the New York Ripper gave away part of the mystery surrounding hte character's identity, especially since viewers had spent months speculating about who might be playing the elusive killer.
Keeping his official character photos under wraps could be Paramount's way of bringing some of that mystery back.
Could Paramount Be Saving a Bigger Reveal?
Another possibility is that Paramount has something bigger planned.
Season 2 will be the first time Dexter Morgan faces two main antagonists at the same time, making Brian Cox and Dan Stevens two of the season's biggest selling points. Rather than revealing them through a batch of stills, the studio may be saving them for a teaser trailer or a separate set of promotional images built around the season's villains.
The photos may have raised more questions than they answered, but Paramount+'s marketing campaign is only just getting started. With months still to go before Season 2 premieres, there's every reason to believe the studio is saving some of its biggest reveals for the weeks ahead.