‘Dexter’ Prequel Casts Young Miami Metro Characters

Dexter: Original Sin is rounding out the ranks of Miami Metro.

James Martinez (Love Victor), Christina Milian (Falling Inn Love) and Alex Shimizu (The Blacklist) have been tapped to play younger versions of some of the key cops previously featured in the original Dexter, while Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly) will play a previously name-checked character that was never seen onscreen in the flagship series.

Originally ordered to series in February 2023 and titled Dexter: Origins, Original Sin is set in 1991 Miami and revolves around Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he goes from student to avenging serial killer. With guidance from his father, Harry (Christian Slater), Dexter adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people without being discovered by law enforcement at the same time as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

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. Milian will portray Maria LaGuerta, the role previously portrayed by Lauren Velez. The character is Miami Metro’s first female homicide detective. 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 rounds out the new cast additions and will portray the new role of Bobby Watt, the longtime partner and confidant of Dexter’s adoptive father, Harry. 

The four join previously announced stars including Slater, who takes over as Harry Morgan from James Remar; Gibson steps into Michael C. Hall’s role as Dexter Morgan; and Brown takes on Jennifer Carpenter’s f-bomb-dropping part of Debra Morgan, Dexter’s sister. 

Production on the series, which is overseen by original Dexter showrunner Clyde Phillips, kicked off June 5 in Miami.  

Exec producers include Phillips, Hall, Scott Reynolds, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns and Robert Lloyd Lewis. Michael Lehmann, who worked with Slater when he directed 1989’s Heathers, will serve as directing exec producer.

Former Showtime boss Gary Levine will supervise the show’s creative alongside Urooj Sharif for Showtime Studios, with Tara Power overseeing production.

A premiere time frame for Dexter: Original Sin has not yet been revealed.