Dexter: New Blood Almost Had an Alternate Ending (But Michael C. Hall Shot it Down)

December 12, 2025, 1:49pm

Dexter: New Blood‘s director tried to avoid the show’s controversial ending, but Michael C. Hall rejected the idea. It’s pretty hard to end a long-running, beloved show. Sometimes they don’t get it right and fans are underwhelmed by the conclusion. That was the case with Dexter. Nearly a decade after its finale, the original creative team reunited for Dexter: New Blood to try and create another ending for the show, one that was more definitive and hopefully, narratively satisfying for fans. Unfortunately, Dexter: New Blood had an ending that upset fans even more and created a lot of controversy. They killed Dexter Morgan just after fans had gotten him back.

Videos by ComicBook.com

Actor Michael C. Hall was by no means obligated to return as the character, but he did feel like he wanted to close the door on the character. As a result, one that would more or less hold Dexter accountable for the trail of bodies he left behind in Miami, punish him for traumatizing his son and getting those close to him hurt, and ending things once and for all felt right to him. Despite the controversial ending of Dexter: New Blood, fans hoped that the writers could devise a way to bring him back from the dead. It was a far-fetched idea… but it actually happened. However, one creative mind tried to stop all of this from happening in the first place.

**Michael C. Hall Rejected Alternate Dexter: New Blood Ending Where He Lived**

When speaking on Dark Passengers: A Dexter Podcast, longtime Dexter director Marcos Siega and showrunner Clyde Phillips revealed that Dexter’s death scene was shot in the first couple of weeks of production. They needed to film the scene in the snow before it melted away, so it was done quickly. However, Siega couldn’t shake the idea that Dexter should live. Siega and Hall lived together while shooting Dexter: New Blood and he approached the actor, saying that they should shoot an alternate ending where Dexter lives.

“I remember saying to Michael, ‘I think we should shoot an alternate ending. I think it’s a mistake, I think this is going to be a really good season, and we’re going to get the end and [regret it].’ And Michael said, ‘No, this is it, I’m done, he’s dying.’”

It’s unclear if Siega had put much thought into what the alternate ending would’ve looked like. Would they have just zoomed in on Dexter’s face and shown his eyes opening or his hand twitching to hint that he lived? Would the entire final scene have gone differently, where he walks off into the woods without Harrison? It’s hard to say.

Siega stressed that ultimately Dexter’s death was the right choice, and he stood by what they created, but as a fan, he wanted to see Dexter live on. He noted that the writers, directors, and creative team received a lot of hate for the ending, but joked that Michael is the only one who got away, ironically, despite it being “his idea.” Ultimately, Siega was proven right by his desire for an alternate ending as Michael C. Hall is the one who approached him with the idea of bringing Dexter back for Dexter: Resurrection. Now, Dexter lives again and is arguably at his best in years.

Do you think Dexter: New Blood should’ve had a different ending? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!