Showtime is producing a wave of spinoffs and expansions for “Billions” and “Dexter,” two of its sturdiest hits, the network says. The premium cable brand is reshaping its TV slate with the same mold that turned “Yellowstone” into a sprawling franchise for parent company Paramount Global.

....

The network has ordered an origin-story prequel to “Dexter,” a serial-killer drama that dates back to 2006. Showtime is also exploring separate spinoffs based on the back stories of compelling “Dexter” characters, including one known as the Trinity Killer.

....

“Dexter” starred Michael C. Hall as a vigilante serial killer hiding in plain sight as a crime-scene investigator. It first earned a following in the much less-crowded TV market of the ’00s and originally ran eight seasons. A 10-episode sequel that aired last year, “Dexter: New Blood,” was the most-watched Showtime series ever, the network said, citing Nielsen and other data. Though that sequel saga is likely to continue in the future, Mr. McCarthy said, he first wanted to revisit the core “Dexter” story in hopes of getting new fans onboard.

He asked executive producer Clyde Phillips to focus on the early years of the sociopathic title character. The origin story will be set in Dexter’s hometown of Miami, and will touch on stories of real-life serial killers of the time period.

It’s officially official: The Dexter prequel spinoff we first told you about last week has been formally ordered to series.

Showtime, which will soon be folded into Paramount+, confirmed on Monday that it has given a green light to Dexter: Origins, which will dramatize a young, early 20s Dexter Morgan “at the outset of his transition into the avenging serial killer he would become.”

Set in serial killer-ravaged Miami sometime in (presumably) the 1980s, Dexter: Origins “will begin as Dexter graduates college to join Miami Metro, where he meets younger versions of many of the characters we came to know in the original Dexter. And, of course, the show will also focus on Dexter’s family, including a very-much-alive Harry and a very formidable, teenage Deb.”

The soon-to-be rechristened Paramount+ with Showtime also confirmed that it is “exploring projects based on other characters from the Dexter universe,” including, as we reported, an offshoot centered on a young Trinity Killer, originally played by John Lithgow.

Longtime Dexter showrunner Clyde Phillips, who will be shepherding the new iterations, said in a statement, “I couldn’t be more excited about exploring and expanding the universe of Dexter. It’s a privilege to contemplate going even deeper with these complex and iconic characters — and the stories, themes and possibilities they inspire.”

As TVLine reported last week, Showtime opted to ditch its in-the-works Harrison-centric second season of Dexter: New Blood in favor of the prequel offshoot. The network, however, maintains that Season 2 remains “in development.”

Set in serial killer-ravaged Miami sometime in (presumably) the 1980s, Dexter: Origins “will begin as Dexter graduates college to join Miami Metro, where he meets younger versions of many of the characters we came to know in the original Dexter. And, of course, the show will also focus on Dexter’s family, including a very-much-alive Harry and a very formidable, teenage Deb.”