Paramount has pulled the plug on Dexter: Original Sin after just one season.
Although Showtime announced a Season 2 renewal back in April, sources confirm the prequel has been on hiatus with no production scheduled — and will not be moving forward. The series debuted in December 2024 and wrapped its first (and now only) season in February 2025.
Set in 1991 Miami, Original Sin explored Dexter Morgan’s early years. Patrick Gibson took on the role of the young serial killer-in-the-making, while Michael C. Hall returned to narrate his character’s inner monologue.
The cast also featured:
- Christian Slater as Harry Morgan, Dexter’s adoptive father
- Molly Brown as Debra Morgan
- Christina Milian
- James Martinez
- Alex Shimizu
- Reno Wilson
- Sarah Michelle Gellar (special guest star)
- Patrick Dempsey (special guest star)
Behind the camera, the series reunited key figures from the franchise. Clyde Phillips, the original showrunner of Dexter, served as creator and executive producer. Hall also executive produced alongside Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, and Michael Lehmann, who directed multiple episodes.
The cancellation follows the Skydance-Paramount merger, where new leadership led by Matt Thunell is reassessing Showtime’s programming slate. Instead of continuing with the prequel, Paramount is now focusing on Dexter: Resurrection, which brings Hall back onscreen as Dexter Morgan. A Season 2 writers’ room for Resurrection is in the works, though renewal has not been officially confirmed.
The numbers reveal why the shift happened: Resurrection opened with 4.4 million multiplatform viewers in its first week and earned a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, outpacing Original Sin’s debut audience of 2.1 million and more modest critical reception.
For Showtime, this marks another move away from scripted expansion. Once a prime competitor to HBO, its slate has been whittled down to just a few core series: The Chi, The Agency, Yellowjackets, and Dexter: Resurrection.
Plans for other Dexter prequels, including a Trinity Killer spinoff, are now in limbo. But Showtime’s bet is clear — the future of the franchise lies with Hall’s return as the original Dexter Morgan.