Clyde Phillips, the creator of Dexter: Original Sin, expressed that he is "not happy" regarding the abrupt cancellation and the cancellation of the Trinity spinoff.

      Months prior to the revival of the anti-hero serial killer in *Dexter: Resurrection*, the prequel series *Dexter: Original Sin* rejuvenated the franchise by delving into Dexter Morgan's early days as a forensic blood analyst and budding serial killer. Although the show was granted a second season, it was unexpectedly cancelled just a few weeks ago.

      Clyde Phillips, the creator and showrunner of *Dexter: Original Sin*, who originally created the series and served as showrunner for its first four seasons before returning for *New Blood* and *Resurrection*, expressed his disappointment about the abrupt cancellation of the prequel series.

      On the *Dissecting Dexter* podcast, Phillips shared his frustration upon hearing the news. “It was a difficult phone call that I received that night. They had already renewed the show, and I had informed all of the writers and actors. Then they reversed that decision. They literally made up a term—'un-picked it up'—while they were still proceeding with *Resurrection*, which was expected. It wasn’t managed well, and I’m quite unhappy about it.”

      No specific reason has been provided for the cancellation; however, it is likely linked to the merger between Paramount and Skydance, which was recently approved, with Skydance acquiring Paramount and its intellectual property, including *Dexter*, after Paramount's acquisition of Showtime a few years prior. Phillips noted that former Paramount CEO Chris McCarthy “wanted to see the Dexter-verse grow” and envisioned Phillips becoming a “new Taylor Sheridan,” referring to Sheridan’s extensive TV franchise with *Yellowstone* and its numerous spin-offs, as well as *Lioness*, *Tulsa King*, *Mayor of Kingstown*, and more in development.

      *Dexter: Original Sin* unveiled new aspects of Dexter's backstory, including the traumatic events that turned him and his brother Brian Moser into killers and showcased his initial set of murders, which future seasons intended to explore further. Although a writer’s room had not been established for a second season as the focus shifted to *Resurrection*, Phillips hinted, “We had mapped out a couple of years’ worth of material and were excited about introducing new characters, like Doakes — envision Doakes at 25 or 30 years old — and Captain Matthews. We also aimed to track Dexter's and Harry’s development. If you recall the swimming pool scene in the pilot of *Original Sin*, which I wrote, it revealed new information. That was something I created, and it shaped Harry’s character. We wanted to further develop that and continue evolving the characters and Dexter, who was portrayed exceptionally well by Patrick Gibson.”

      With Paramount and Skydance's focus on Dexter Morgan's current storyline, Phillips mentioned that the planned Trinity prequel centered around John Lithgow’s notorious Trinity Killer has been “put on the back burner,” and he believes they are unlikely to pursue it. “I just don’t think they’re interested in it. If they decided to cancel *Original Sin*, which had potential as a hit, how could they possibly pick up *Trinity*? If they do, I’d be thrilled, but I don’t see that happening.”

      Are you disappointed that *Dexter: Original Sin* won’t continue? Do you hope *Resurrection* might incorporate the cast or storylines from *Original Sin*? Share your thoughts on our social media at @FlickeringMyth…

      Ricky Church – Follow me on Bluesky for more movie updates and discussions.