Jennifer Carpenter is not coming back for Dexter: Resurrection

By Blair Marnell Published February 23, 2025

Despite the death of her character, Debra Morgan, in the original Dexter, Jennifer Carpenter didn’t let that stop her from reprising her role in Dexter: New Blood. That series allowed Deb to return as a recurring hallucination for her adoptive brother — and titular serial killer — Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall). While Hall has signed on to reprise his role in the upcoming sequel series, Dexter: Resurrection, Carpenter has indicated that she will not be coming back this time.

“I am pretty focused where I am, and I feel like I’ve completed that box,” Carpenter told People Magazine. “I’m proud of it… I hope that [the cast is] having a wonderful time… And I’m so happy for the fans to have more to chew on.”

Carpenter played Debra in all eight seasons of Dexter, and she was a key character in the show, especially after she discovered her brother’s secret life as serial killer who preys on evil people. More recently, Carpenter signed on to co-star in the second and final season of the Yellowstone prequel series, 1923.

The present-day scenes in the prequel series Dexter: Original Sin revealed that Dexter survived his near-fatal wounds from the last episode of Dexter: New Blood. Dexter told his son, Harrison (Jack Alcott), to shoot him in the hope that Harrison could have a normal life free of Dexter’s darkness. Alcott will reprise his role in Resurrection alongside original Dexter stars David Zayas and James Remar. Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage have also signed on to appear in the new show.

Dexter: Resurrection doesn’t currently have a premiere date, but it may arrive on Paramount+ with Showtime later this year.