Paramount+ axes ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ just months after season 2 renewal — but there’s a silver lining
Despite high anticipation, 'Dexter: Original Sin' couldn't replicate the success of the original 'Dexter' series and has been dropped by Paramount just four months after receiving a renewal. However, this doesn't spell the end for the thriller franchise. While 'Original Sin' is no longer moving forward, fans still have something to look forward to, and it all ties back to Michael C. Hall's 'Dexter: Resurrection'.
Sources revealed that 'Dexter: Original Sin' had been on hiatus, with no production dates or plans for a second season. The prequel debuted in December 2024 and concluded its only season in February 2025, as per Variety. Paramount is moving forward with plans for a potential Season 2 of 'Dexter: Resurrection,' with a writers' room allegedly set to open soon. The series marks the return of Hall to his iconic role as Dexter Morgan and serves as a follow-up to both Dexter and 'Dexter: New Blood.'
'Dexter: Resurrection' Season 1, which premiered on Friday, July 11 and is set to conclude on Friday, September 5, has performed strongly, drawing 4.4 million multiplatform viewers within its first seven days and earning a 94% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The decision to cancel 'Dexter: Original Sin' comes in the wake of the Skydance-Paramount merger. Matt Thunell, now overseeing Showtime's production operations, has been reviewing the company's content slate with the new senior leadership team.
Sources indicate that the team opted to prioritize Resurrection and Hall's reprisal of Dexter, seeing it as the most promising path to continue the renowned franchise. This strategic shift also displays Paramount's focus on leveraging familiar, high-performing properties to drive viewership under its new leadership structure. The cancellation of 'Dexter: Original Sin' comes amid Showtime's ongoing decline, with the network's scripted content now limited to a few originals, including 'The Chi,' 'The Agency,' 'Yellowjackets,' and 'Dexter: Resurrection,' alongside its rebrand as Paramount+ with Showtime.
Notably, 'Original Sin' was created by Clyde Phillips, who also served as showrunner and executive producer, with Hall, Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, and Lilly Burns also credited as executive producers. Michael Lehmann, director of 'Heathers,' directed and executive produced, while Robert Lloyd Lewis was a producer. The series was produced by Showtime Studios (now Paramount Television Studios) and Counterpart Studios, with Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif overseeing for Showtime and Tara Power supervising production.
It was distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside Paramount+ markets. Set in 1991 Miami, 'Dexter: Original Sin' takes place 15 years before the original series, as per Dexter Wiki. The prequel follows 20-year-old Dexter as he commits his first kill and struggles with his bloodthirsty urges as he learns to channel his darkness with guidance from his father, Harry (Christian Slater), adopting a code to target those who deserve to die while avoiding law enforcement detection, all while starting a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.