Yes, Marvel Studios really kickstarted this idea of a “cinematic universe” more than a decade ago, but some of the most popular versions of this idea have sprung up in various other genres. Perhaps the most recent example is the absolute behemoth that is “Yellowstone,” which has been nothing but a huge success for Paramount and its streaming service, Paramount+, and spawned about a half-dozen spinoffs that are either already released or in the pipeline. Now, the executive behind the “Yellowstone” expansion is hoping to bring that success to Showtime and two of its biggest series, “Dexter” and “Billions.”
READ MORE: ‘Yellowstone’ Teaser Trailer: Season 5, Part 2 Returns Summer 2023
According to a report from THR, the current executive behind Paramount+, Chris McCarthy, has grand ideas for Showtime, which he gained control over in the past year. He wants to take his success with “Yellowstone” and attempt to mimic that formula with “Billions” and “Dexter.” The idea is to take those brands and expand them with a variety of spinoffs that would flesh out their respective universes and give people more of the goodness that they like.
And what’s better than “Billions?” How about “Trillions?” No, that’s not a stupid joke that riffs off of a line from “The Social Network.” Instead, that’s the actual plan over at Showtime. The plan with “Billions” is to make spinoff series such as “Millions” and “Trillions.” Those are just two of the potential four spinoffs that are in the works from “Billions” producers and co-creators, Brian Koppelman and David Levien. What those shows might look like is still up in the air, but judging by the numbers theme and the fact that they’re a spinoff of “Billions,” we can assume the high-risk, high-reward world of finance will be front-and-center. Yes, I know, that’s a leap.
As for “Dexter,” it doesn’t appear that we’re going to immediately get a sequel to the most recent revival, “Dexter: New Blood.” That series scored huge numbers for Showtime and seemed to leave the door open for more stories following the character’s teen son. Instead, the report claims that Showtime is more interested in a prequel series that will follow a young Dexter as he comes up in Miami. In addition, there are spinoffs in mind that would follow some of the side characters, including the fan-favorite murderer, Trinity Killer, who is played by John Lithgow in the series. “Dexter” creator, Clyde Phillips, is on board as the franchise-runner (is that going to be the next big TV job?).
It’s far too soon to know if this sort of “Yellowstone”-esque success will bleed over into the worlds of “Billions” and “Dexter.” However, it does stand to reason that there are a bunch of viewers who just like the feeling of an old, comfortable blanket TV series, right? Those who just would watch six spinoffs of their favorite show instead of trying something new. If that happens here, Showtime could quickly turn into a must-see network for that type of franchise viewing.