Salary Dispute Puts Future of ‘Dexter’ at Risk Past Season 6

The sixth season of Showtime’s “Dexter” premiered this week, but fans already have to brace themselves for some potentially bad news. Michael C. Hall contract is up and he might not return for a seventh.

As more and more networks are cutting down even on their hit projects because production expenses have become too big, Showtime too is facing a crisis situation.

Deadline reports that, with season 6 being nearly done shooting, network bosses have entered into negotiations with leading man Michael C. Hall to talk the possibility of doing at least two more seasons.

Apparently, they have stalled and, as always, money is at the root of all evil.

“I hear that the two sides reached an impasse yesterday, the same day Dexter’s big Season 6 premiere ratings came out,” Deadline writes.

The latest season saw a 22 percent boost in ratings from the fifth, which made it the highest-rating episode ever in the history of the show – and this is precisely what makes the thought that it might end so shocking.

“[Hall] has been negotiating with Showtime for a while, but I hear talks broke down after the two sides couldn’t bridge a $4 million [€2.9 million] gap in proposed salary for a new deal, with Showtime offering $20 million [€14.97 million] for two more seasons and Hall’s team asking for $24 million [€17.9 million],” Deadline further says.

“Either figure would make Hall one of the highest-paid actors in cable. Sources indicate that the network brass remain hopeful about reaching a deal, with signing Hall for one more season vs. two also an option,” the same publication says.

However, Deadline hints, there’s also another possibility to consider: after 10 years on “Six Feet Under” and 6 on “Dexter,” Hall must be itching to do something else than television, which he also said in some of his interviews.

As such, he might not sign just for one season if he’s not getting the $24 million ([€17.9 million) he’s asking.