‘Dexter’ Season 9: Sean Patrick Flanery Reveals If He’ll Return (Exclusive)

Sean Patrick Flanery has built up quite the resume in his years in Hollywood, with standout appearances in film projects like The Boondock Saints and Saw 3D. However, he also had quite a career in TV, with a recurring role on Dexter and the titular role in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. When it comes to Dexter, Showtime is working on a new season of the show. So, is it too farfetched to expect his return?

While this revival is being billed as a standalone property (à la Twin Peaks: The Return) instead of Dexter Season 9, it is still a follow-up eight-season show that ran on Showtime from 2006-2013. While Michael C. Hall’s Dexter Morgan will be in an all-new setting, the continuity is the same. That means characters from the original Showtime run could appear.

Flanery plays one of those potential characters, Jacob Elway, a private detective who was on the heels of Dexter’s murderous girlfriend Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski) in Season 8. While Hannah escaped his clutches in the series finale, he could easily still be after the one that got away. However, at least at the time we talked to Flanery in promotion of his new movie Born a Champion, he had not been contacted to reprise his role. Despite this, the 55-year-old actor says he’d love to return if offered.

“Man, I had a ball doing that character. I really did. I think there’s so many unexplored avenues to what drives that cat. But no, I hadn’t been approached at all,” Flanery said via phone. “I’m sure they’re going in a very different direction. No idea. I haven’t spoken to anybody about it. But yeah, I don’t know many people that would turn down an opportunity to be on a hit show. You know? I’m sure a lot of people try to sound cool and (downplay it). Come on, man. It’s Dexter. (Laughs) No, I haven’t heard anything about it, other than what I’ve heard on social media and whatnot. But they have me as a viewer, for sure.”

Flanery can currently be seen in Born a Champion, his new jiu-jitsu movie. It’s a passion project for him, being as he co-wrote the screenplay and brought his real-life expertise and love of Brazilian jiu-jitsu to the film. It’s available physically and digitally at leading retailers now. You can read our full Q-and-A with Flanery here. As for Dexter, the revival will air on Showtime sometime in 2021.