It’s set to be a killer summer with the arrival of yet another highly anticipated installment in the Dexter-verse. Here’s everything we know about Dexter: Resurrection.
“Ask and you shall receive.” That’s what I like to imagine Showtime (and its streaming home on Paramount+) saying to us Dexter fans, who’ve consistently voiced our desire and waited patiently for more of America’s favorite vigilante serial killer.
Even though the mothership series ended in 2014, it never waned in popularity. As a result, we’ve gotten both a sequel and a prequel series, and Showtime isn’t slowing down. Their plan is for you to have a killer summer with yet another highly anticipated installment in the Dexter-verse. Here’s everything we know about (and what you can expect out of) Dexter: Resurrection.
First things first: Where does Dexter: Resurrection fall in the franchise?
This is a perfect place to start. Dexter: Resurrection will be the franchise’s second sequel and will pick up where Dexter: New Blood left off.
The mothership series aired in 2006 and introduced us to expert blood spatter analyst Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall). By day, he walks the legal line at Miami Metro Police Department, helping recreate crimes and catch perpetrators. By night, though, he toes the criminal line as a vigilante serial killer taking out other killers. The show is as brilliant and witty as it is creepy and bloody, but fans were left dissatisfied with the series finale. Thus, the crusade for more of this story began.
In 2021, Showtime released the long-awaited sequel Dexter: New Blood. The 10-episode limited series introduced us to a grown Harrison (Jack Alcott), Dexter’s son, and followed him as he set out in search of his father, whom he believed to still be alive. Though highly anticipated, it wasn’t well received, as, once again, its ending left viewers dissatisfied.While Showtime figured out what to do about that, they focused on bringing viewers another craved installment in the Dexter-verse: a prequel. Dexter: Original Sin premiered in December 2024 and was so successful, and a second season has been confirmed.
What’s the plot of Dexter: Resurrection?
Dexter: Resurrection is set just weeks after the events of New Blood. The sequel will pick up with the titular character awakening from a coma in the hospital only to discover that Harrison has vanished into thin air.
Per the official logline, after realizing the weight of what he put his son through, Dexter sets out for New York City, determined to find him and make things right. As per usual with the Morgans, closure won’t come easy, and when Miami Metro’s Detective Angel Batista (David Zayas) arrives with a slew of questions, Dexter realizes his past is quickly catching up to him.
“Dexter has a lot of hesitation about making contact, which is a fundamental part of the tension that is pervasive for the first bit of the season,” Hall told Vanity Fair. “Harrison revealed himself to be, and remains, an all-the-more potent connection to Dexter’s tiny sense of humanity. He craves it, in spite of himself, so it’s a major bolt of thread running through his interior life and the life of the season.”
As father and son navigate their own darkness together in the city that never sleeps, they soon find themselves lodged deeper in their secrets than they ever imagined. They also discover that the only way out isn’t just through: It’s also together.
This second sequel in the franchise picks up where New Blood left off and Original Sin began. In the New Blood finale, Dexter took a shotgun to the chest, courtesy of Harrison but at Dexter’s encouragement, and was left in the snow to die, as blood seeped from his body like cherry juice flooding a snowball.
Original Sin opened with Dexter being wheeled into the E.R. on a gurney, as doctors worked to save his life in a race against the clock. There, his life flashed before his eyes, allowing Hall to serve as the prequel’s narrator chronicling Dexter’s past, post-medical school days, efforts to wrangle his Dark Passenger, and internship at Miami Metro P.D.
Resurrection aims to bring our franchise full circle and watch it travel a whole new trajectory, and we fans are here for all of it.
Will this new sequel be a limited series?
In a word, NO! Showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips confirmed to Vanity Fair, “We’ve got the strongest franchise in Showtime’s history, and we plan to do this for years.”
Hall added, “Years with an s. The thinking is not to come back for a sort of self-contained one-off again but leave it open to further exploration. The intention, and hope, is that the story will continue beyond this.
Hall sees Dexter as “a much more human, flesh-and-blood version of that horror trope of someone who just refuses to go down.”
So, keep your visqueen handy, my friends! It sounds like we’re gonna need it.
The Cast: Who is returning, and who is joining?
In addition to Hall, Alcott, and Zayas reprising their original roles as Dexter, Harrison, and Det. Batista, respectively, Dexter: Resurrection will also see James Remar return as Harry Morgan. David Magidoff will be reprising his New Blood character of Teddy Reed, an officer with the Iron Lake Police Department.
Furthermore, Jimmy Smits will appear as Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado. Yes, he was killed by Dexter in the original series, but he is set to return either in a dream state or a hallucination, similar to how John Lithgow is reprising his role as the Trinity Killer: by way of flashbacks.
In terms of who’s joining the sequel’s cast, there’s a slew of big names.
Neil Patrick Harris, of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, is slated to play a character named Lowell, also known as The Tattoo Collector. Details beyond that have been (and still are) kept tightly under wraps, which likely means he’s more important than we’ll think he is. Pay attention and read between the lines with this one; there will be more to Lowell than meets the eye.
Peter Dinklage, of Game of Thrones fame, will star as a mysterious billionaire named Leon Prater. Prater is a venture capitalist and generous philanthropist, but behind his polished façade lurks dark intrigue. This won’t be the first time the actor has taken on a villainous role, and he’s no stranger to embodying morally ambiguous characters. It’s been suggested that he may be the sequel’s main antagonist, and I don’t know about you guys, but Peter Dinklage going toe to toe with Dexter Morgan? Sign me up.
Uma Thurman will play the role of Charley, a former special ops officer working as head of security for Leon Prater. She’s meticulous and resourceful, making her a solid right hand for the cryptic moneyman. Given Thurman’s martial training and cinematic history with action roles, such as the Kill Bill franchise, there’s no doubt she’ll be a badass in Resurrection. Expect mad skills from her, along with some surprises.
Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter will appear as Lady Vengeance, the serial killer alter ego of famed sommelier Mia Lapierre. Ritter dished out some pretty sharp moves in those fight scenes of the Marvel series, so expect to see agility, quickness, and seduction from her.
Emmy Award winner Eric Stonestreet, of Modern Family, will appear in a high-profile guest arc as a character named Al, who is believed to be a serial killer known as Rapunzel. Al shares the same Midwestern background as Stonestreet, so expect a larger-than-life sized personality here. Stonestreet is scheduled to appear in four episodes.
David Dastmalchian, of Oppenheimer, will guest-star as Gareth, and while details are being kept tightly under wraps, we do know his role is that of The Gemini Killer. Emilia Suárez, of Up Here, will play Elsa River, Harrison’s spirited, determined friend and co-worker. Steve Schirripa, best known as Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri on The Sopranos, has joined in the recurring guest-starring role of Vinny, Elsa’s creepy landlord.
Additionally, franchise showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips will return to helm the wheel.
Is there a trailer for Dexter: Resurrection?
The first official trailer for Dexter: Resurrection is here, and it reveals more than expected.
See what I mean? Exciting, right? Not only do we find out when Batista catches up to Dexter (right in the beginning!), but we also discover so much more about our plot and new characters.
For starters, once arriving in New York City, Dexter lays low for a while under a new identity. However, when a string of brutal murders occurs and mirrors the exact signature of his past–precise, ritualistic, and personal–Dexter realizes he’s not the only one who’s back. Enter Lumen Pierce (Julia Stiles, of Dexter season 5).
Y’all know what this means, right? Stiles IS reprising her role as Dexter’s old ally and someone who knows all his old secrets. Doubly exciting.
We also see just how major a character Dinklage is set to be. As a venture capitalist with a continent of money, he’s interested in one thing: serial killers. Specifically, he’s interested in investing in them. He invites a variety of notorious ones to his manor to meet them face to face and arrange some yet unknown purpose.
So, do we have a game of who can kill the most on our hands, and will Dexter stay true to form and take these killers out instead of going for others? I dare say we are in for one righteous season full of serial killers squaring off against the Bay Harbour Butcher.
According to Prater himself, he seeks only to acquire the best of the best in any field, and in this particular field, the best of the best are Dexter Morgan, Lowell, Lady Vengeance, Gareth, and Al. There may even be more killers who turn up at Prater’s manor, but for now, this is what we know.
At the very least, we have a MurderCon-style meetup on our hands… or should I say tables? Resurrection could be the most thrilling franchise installment yet, and I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait to see all of this play out.
Release Date: When and where to watch the Dexter sequel
Dexter: Resurrection will stream its two-episode premiere on Friday, July 11, 2025, on Paramount+ before airing on cable through Showtime on Sunday, July 13 at 8 p.m. ET. From there, the remaining eight episodes will be released weekly.
