Dexter Star Says The Revival Is Darker Than Original Run

Dexter Morgan is coming back to claim more victims. Showtime is in the midst of production on a revival of the hit serial killer drama, which originally concluded eight years ago with its controversial eighth season. Dexter is known for going to very dark places, but one star of the upcoming ninth run is teasing that the reboot could be even darker than the show’s original run.

Jamie Chung (Once Upon a Time) is set to play true-crime podcaster Molly who travels from Los Angeles to investigate some peculiar goings-on in Iron Lake, a small, sleepy town in upstate New York where Dexter is to trying to lay low. Chung spoke to People about season 9, hinting at its ominous tone and promising that it’s going to satisfy fans’ appetites for more Dexter.

“The original series happened over 10 years ago. So there’s certainly a different vibe of the way the actual show is shot in terms of the aesthetic. I do think it’s a little darker. It takes place in upstate New York and as we know from the last season, Dexter’s hiding. So it certainly carries on and you have a lot of fresh faces, but a lot of familiar ones. I think it will certainly satisfy everyone’s appetite. Especially if you’re a big Dexter fan.”

Something that made Dexter so popular was its unique mix of dark subject matter, graphic violence but also a blackly comic edge. Maybe Chung is hinting that the humor will be toned down somewhat in this new run. On the face of it, that seems like a peculiar choice, seeing as season 8 is hated for getting too grim, but let’s hope showrunner Clyde Phillips – who’s returning to helm this revival after originally departing the series a few years before it concluded – knows what he’s doing.

Michael C. Hall is, of course, back to reprise his iconic role, though we’re told no one else from the original cast will feature. That said, Jennifer Carpenter has teased online that she’s (somehow) coming back as Debra Morgan. As for the newcomers, Chung is joined by Clancy Brown as Kurt Caldwell, the unofficial mayor of Iron Lake who has a few sinister secrets of his own. Julia Jones, Johnny Sequoyah, Alano Miller and Jack Alcott are also in the cast.

Dexter season 9 is shooting in Massachusetts now ahead of its premiere on Showtime later this year.