Dexter: Original Sin prequel series casts Christina Milian and others as characters with familiar names

A little over a year ago, Showtime announced that they were ordering a series – then known as Dexter: Origins, now known as Dexter: Original Sin – that would serve as a prequel series to their popular show Dexter, which finished its eight season initial run back in 2013, then recently came back for a new season (called Dexter: New Blood) that appeared to wrap things up for good… for the title character, anyway. Now they’re assembling the cast for Dexter: Original Sin, and The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Christina Milian (Falling Inn Love), James Martinez (Love Victor), Alex Shimizu (The Blacklist), and Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly) have all been cast as characters with names that will be familiar to Dexter fans.

Milian, Martinez, and Shimizu are all playing younger versions of characters that viewers have met before. As The Hollywood Reporter explains, “Milian will portray Maria LaGuerta, the role previously portrayed by Lauren Velez. The character is Miami Metro’s first female homicide detective. Martinez will take over the role of Angel Batista, played in the original series by David Zayas. In Original Sin, Angel is an up-and-coming homicide detective who leads with his heart. Shimizu steps into the witty role of Vince Masuka, a forensic analyst who eagerly shares his expertise while relishing the chance to boss around his new intern, Dexter Morgan. C.S. Lee previously played Masuka.” Wilson’s character is someone who was referenced but never seen on the original series, “Bobby Watt, the longtime partner and confidant of Dexter’s adoptive father, Harry.”

Milian, Martinez, Shimizu, and Wilson join previously announced cast members Patrick Gibson of Shadow and Bone (as the young Dexter Morgan), Christian Slater of Mr. Robot (as Dexter’s dad, Harry Morgan), and Molly Brown of Senior Year (as Dexter’s younger sister, Debra Morgan.)

Dexter: Original Sin follows Dexter in 1991 Miami, as a student transitioning into a serial killer in training. When his bloodthirsty urges can no longer be ignored, Dexter finds solace and understanding in Harry. As his only confidant, he teaches Dexter a Code that’s designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to die—all while avoiding getting caught by law enforcement. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

Played by Michael C. Hall in the nine seasons of Dexter, the title character is “a serial killer with a code which directs his compulsions to kill only the guilty. As a blood spatter analyst for the Miami police, he has access to crime scenes, picking up clues and checking DNA to confirm a target’s guilt before he kills them.“

Dexter: Original Sin will be available from Paramount+ with Showtime. The first season of the show is expected to consist of 10 episodes.

Clyde Phillips, who served as showrunner on the first four seasons of Dexter and returned to the job for Dexter: New Blood, serves as showrunner on this new show as well. Phillips is also executive producing alongside Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, and Michael C. Hall. Robert Lloyd Lewis is producing with Showtime Studios and Counterpart Studios. Michael Lehmann, who directed Slater in the cult classic film Heathers, will serve as directing executive producer. The show is being creatively overseen by Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif for Showtime Studios, with production supervised by Tara Power. It will be distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Paramount+ markets.

Last we heard, Dexter: New Blood is also expected to continue on Showtime, now shifting the focus to Dexter’s son Harrison. Phillips is overseeing the expansion of the Dexter franchise, with other possibilities in the line-up including “spinoffs that trace the back stories of some of the show’s most iconic characters. This includes John Lithgow’s memorable Trinity Killer.”

Are you interested in Dexter: Original Sin? What do you think of Christina Milian, James Martinez, Alex Shimizu, and Reno Wilson being added to the cast? Let us know by leaving a comment below.