Twenty years in the shoes of Dexter Morgan and still so many questions left unanswered. Michael C. Hall joined in from the United States to Lucca Comics & Games, interviewed by the singer and fan of the series Cristina Scabbia, on the occasion of the preview of the second season of Dexter: Resurrection, arriving October 30 on Paramount+. During the audience event, in a crowded Cinema Astra hall, the actor revealed a few previews of the new episodes and spoke about the long journey of the series which, since 2006, has continued to captivate fans.
Dexter: Resurrection 2, Dexter’s Midlife Crisis
After surviving the gunshot fired by his son Harrison at the end of Dexter: New Blood, the protagonist finds himself facing a new lease on life. But, beyond the initial astonishment of still being alive, a question arises: what now? “At the start of this season Dexter has moved past the astonishment of being alive and the exhilaration of all those victims, and he asks himself: what next? What do I do? He is going through something like a midlife crisis,” Hall explained. “For him it’s not about finding a younger girlfriend or buying a luxury car, but rather the feeling that no one knows who he is. He begins to ardently crave a degree of recognition he has never felt before, which, for someone like him, is a very dangerous thing,” he added.
The Adversaries Dexter Faces in the New Season
In the new season, Dexter will confront two very different killers, played by Brian Cox and Dan Stevens. The former will be an elder killer who has become a dark celebrity in New York, even though the police have never managed to prove his crimes. The latter will portray the so-called “killer of the five boroughs,” an assassin who grabs the press’s attention and unintentionally fuels Dexter’s own desire for notoriety. Two figures that become mirrors for the protagonist, torn between jealousy over the first’s fame and the fear of waking up one day like the second. It will also complicate Charley’s situation, the character played by Uma Thurman, who will offer him an offer he cannot refuse. The need to be recognized, according to Hall, will render Dexter vulnerable even in his relationships.
Returning to the cast are the already cited Uma Thurman, Jack Alcott, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Kadia Saraf, Dominic Fumusa, Desmond Harrington and James Remar. Among the new entries are Nona Parker Johnson, while Krysten Ritter returns as a guest star and Gabriel Luna joins the cast.
A Character Still Mysterious After 20 Years
Twenty years after its debut, the actor admitted that he has not yet fully deciphered the character he plays. “I think that, in some ways, Dexter is as mysterious to me as he has always been,” he said. “On one hand he is extraordinarily capable, able to do things that seem almost superhuman; on the other, he is strikingly deficient and unaware when it comes to understanding what it means to have human relationships.” It is precisely this contradiction that makes Dexter so captivating: a man capable of planning every detail of his crimes, but often unable to grasp others’ feelings. There remains, moreover, the moral dilemma that accompanies the series: even though his victims are people he considers guilty, Dexter remains a killer.
So why does the audience still stand by him? “I think we all have a dark side, and Dexter’s is perhaps broader, deeper and more powerful than that of most people. But he takes responsibility for it,” Hall noted. In addition, the protagonist’s ability to keep moving forward despite everything is highlighted: “He has a kind of optimism, despite what he has lived through. He simply keeps going forward.” The actor, however, does not claim to have a definitive answer. “People love the character for many different reasons. But, ultimately, he remains a mystery even to me, and that is one of the reasons I keep playing him,” he admitted.
Michael C. Hall and His Love for Italy
During the event, Hall also spoke about his connection to Italy, recalling in particular two trips to Rome and a visit to the church of Santa Maria del Popolo. “One of the most beautiful experiences was entering the church and seeing Caravaggio’s Crucifixion of Saint Peter. I was completely surprised to stumble upon such a masterpiece by chance, without having to pass through corridors full of security checks like in a museum,” he said. The actor noted being struck by the depth of the city’s history and concluded with a wish: “I hope to return.” When asked where Dexter might hide in Italy, Hall joked: “Maybe in a place with catacombs, where he could skulk around. Perhaps Lucca.” And speaking of Italy, a question about dining habits was not missing: which breakfast would Dexter choose between an English breakfast and a croissant with cappuccino? Hall had no doubt: “I think he would probably adopt the local customs.” So Dexter, then, would know how to adapt to Italian traditions.
The Dexter Experience at Lucca Comics & Games
To celebrate the series’ twenty-year milestone, at Lucca Paramount+ set up in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro the Dexter Experience, an immersive journey through bloody puzzles, macabre challenges and timed trials. The highlight is the famous Kill Room, where visitors can recreate the series’ unsettling atmospheres by pretending to be immobilized on Dexter’s table. A spine-tingling experience for true fans, completed with a keepsake gadget.
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