Dexter Prequel Series Find Its Leads, Including Christian Slater

The long-awaited prequel to the hit TV show Dexter has found its three leads in Patrick Gibson (Shadow and Bone, The OA), Christian Slater (Heathers, Interview with the Vampire), and Molly Brown (Billions, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Titled Dexter: Original Sin, the prequel will take place in 1991, 15 years prior to the events in the critically acclaimed Showtime series. Dexter ran from 2006 to 2013, with a 10-episode limited sequel series titled Dexter: New Blood airing in 2021.

Dexter

Release Date

October 1, 2006

Seasons

8

As per Variety, Dexter: Original Sin will star Patrick Gibson as a young Dexter Morgan, the role made famous by Michael C. Hall. Christian Slater will play his father, Harry Morgan, who was originally portrayed by James Remar, and Molly Brown will play Deborah Morgan, his foul-mouthed sister who was portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter in the original series and its sequel. Check out the official synopsis for Dexter: Original Sin below.

“Dexter: Original Sin follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements’ radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.”

Dexter: Original Sin Is Part of Plans for a Larger Shared Universe

Debuting on October 1, 2006, Dexter would go on to last for eight seasons until its conclusion in 2013, with an ending that left many viewers less than satisfied. It would try to rectify that disappointment by reviving the series in 2021 with Dexter: New Blood, which followed everyone’s favorite vigilante serial killer 10 years later in a small rural town in upstate New York. The series was met with generally favorable reviews, paving the way for the announcement of a prequel series in 2023.

Clyde Phillips, Dexter’s original showrunner and executive producer, will return to steer the ship for Dexter: Original Sin. Michael Lehmann, who directed Christian Slater in Heathers, will also serve as an executive producer, along with Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, and Lilly Burns. The series is being produced for Showtime through Paramount+, but there’s no word yet on when it might premiere.

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Dexter: Original Sin isn’t the only prequel series focusing on characters from the original show that’s in the works. At the time of its announcement, it was also revealed that a series aiming to shed light on The Trinity Killer, portrayed by John Lithgow in season four, is also being mulled over at Showtime. This fits into the plans to expand Dexter into an entire shared universe that will see many spin-offs focusing on various characters and killers. While there has been no movement on The Trinity Killer prequel, should Dexter: Original Sin prove to be a hit, there’s a good chance it could come sooner rather than later.