Fans of Dexter were heartbroken when the second season of the spinoff series Dexter: Original Sin was canceled last month, just four months after Paramount greenlit a new season — but creator and showrunner Clyde Phillips feels just as deeply, and he didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration.

“It was a tough phone call I got that night, after they’d already picked up the show,” Phillips said on a recent episode of the Dissecting Dexter podcast. “I’d already informed all the writers and actors, and then they reversed their decision — while simultaneously greenlighting Resurrection, which wasn’t surprising. It wasn’t handled well, and I’m not happy about it.”

The series was axed after new leadership took over at Paramount following its high-profile merger with Skydance, and it’s clear many disagree with the decision — including fans, who have launched campaigns urging the studio to reconsider. Still, Phillips believes Paramount is unlikely to reverse course.

In fact, the studio’s move to cancel the project altogether signals a significant scaling back of its ambitions for the Dexter franchise. Phillips revealed on the podcast that before the Skydance merger, Paramount planned to transform Dexter into a Yellowstone-style franchise, with Phillips serving as the creative force and public face — much like Taylor Sheridan does for his universe.

To support that vision, Phillips and development executives had mapped out an expansive future for the Dexter universe — but it appears all those plans have now been scrapped. The only remaining piece of the rebuilt Dexter franchise is Dexter: Resurrection, which is still rumored to return for a second season, though no official confirmation has been made.