Dexter and Billions Spin-Offs on the Way as Showtime Adopts Yellowstone Franchise Model
It looks like Showtime is chasing a Yellowstone-style franchise hit of its own, with the network greenlighting several spinoffs of both Dexter and Billions.
The news was first reported by Wall Street Journal today and later formally announced by Showtime. It's given a straight-to-series order to Dexter: Origins, executive produced by longtime Dexter mainstay Clyde Phillips.
According to Showtime, Dexter: Origins "will dramatize young Dexter Morgan at the outset of his transition into the avenging serial killer he would become." It's set in Miami and begins as Dexter graduates college to join Miami Metro, where he'll meet several younger versions of characters we've already met in his flagship series.
Showtime's also picked up a new iteration of Dexter: New Blood, which will focus on Dexter's son, Harrison, who flees to New York "where he must wrestle with his own violent nature and whether, like his father, he too is compelled to kill." The network has also noted that it's exploring other characters in the Dexter universe for potential spinoffs.
As for Billions, there are a number of spinoffs that Showtime announced today, all of which will be executive produced by Billions showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Season 7 of the drama is currently in production, and will debut on Showtime later this year. Showtime describes the various Billions spinoffs as follows (all show titles are subject to change):
- Billions: Miami, a new installment set in the world of private aviation, where the clientele believe the rules of society, government and gravity don’t apply to them, amidst the wealth, nightlife, contraband and the cryptocurrency that pulses through that city. Koppelman and Levien are already in the writing process on this project.
- Billions: London, another iteration set across the pond and operating in the world of UK finance.
- Millions, a series featuring diverse, thirtysomething, financial mogul wannabes doing whatever it takes to make it in Manhattan.
- Trillions, a drama based on fictional stories of the richest people in the world - titans of industry living all over the country but coming into contact and conflict with one another.
Interestingly, both big franchise plays come after Paramount Global executive Chris McCarthy - who's credited with expanding Paramount's hit Yellowstone series - was given the helm of Showtime last year.
And if all that wasn't enough, Showtime also gave a straight-to-series order to The Department, based on the hit French drama Le Bureau des Legendes, to be directed by George Clooney. Clooney will also executive produce with Grant Heslov.
ign.com
