Michael C. Hall was able to make the character of Dexter Morgan his own. Dexter ran from 2006-2013 and showed the titular character develop from a psychopath with no empathy into a loving, caring figure who still managed to carry out his various serial killings the whole time.
After the show finished in 2013, Hall’s career hasn’t maintained quite the same momentum. However, a brief appearance in The Crown and a central role in Christine continue to prove that Hall can easily steal the show when he wants to. Here are ten roles he should take on next.
More Animated Voiceover Work
Considering his acting career has lasted over twenty years, Michael C. Hall doesn’t have the most expansive filmography in the world. As such, very little of his work has engaged with animation. Just two films and two TV shows, in fact.
His work on the animated spin-off Dexter: Early Cuts was just as good as his live-action portrayal of the character, while his version of Man-Bat (not Batman) in the 2015 Justice League: Gods and Monsters showed that his career could easily see him take on more animated voice-over work in future.
More Documentary Narration Work
Considering the powerful and recognizable sound of Hall’s voice, you may have expected to hear him crop up in non-fiction voiceover roles a little more often. Back in 2011, he lent his dulcet tones to the six-episode series Vietnam In HD, but we haven’t seen anything else since. Considering he overcame a bout of Hodgkin’s lymphoma back in 2010, he would certainly be an appropriate voice for a documentary about the tough subject.
A Haunting Horror
So far, Hall hasn’t appeared in a horror film. Considering the fact that Dexter himself is a particularly prolific serial killer and frequently encounters many twisted individuals, you might be pushed to count that, but the show isn’t that scary.
We want to see Hall taking on the role of someone twisted and terrifying, lacking the good-natured charm of Dexter and channeling only his most evil tendencies. This would be a good way to focus in on the creepiness of his most well-known role.
A Cringey Comedy
Similarly, we haven’t seen Hall in a whole lot of comedy. There have been a couple of roles (Peep World, Game Night and The Trouble With Bliss for example) that all have comedic overtones, but avoid keeping the humor front and center. Considering how amusing Dexter was at times, Hall could comfortably deliver deadpan one-liners in a straight-up comedy. Maybe even put him opposite C. S. Lee (Vince Masuka), who is a certified comedic genius.
A Silent Short
The true test of an actor is how well they can perform without speaking. Obviously, if in this fantasy future we’re giving Michael C. Hall roles in animation voiceover and documentary narration, then he needs to give his voice a break.
There are almost no fully silent films in existence these days, so it wouldn’t exactly be a massive career-reviving blockbuster, but a short artsy film that allows Hall to take on a character he might not necessarily be able to perfect vocally could be an interesting opportunity.
A Superhero Of Sorts
Everyone and their dog appears to be getting cast as a superhero these days. As mentioned above, Hall has played Man-Bat in the direct-to-video Justice League: Gods and Monsters, but he needs to stretch his legs (or wings or whatever power he ends up with) in the realm of big-budget live-action. Admittedly, most of the big names are taken, but there are definitely a few lesser-known heroes he could embody.
The Saw Franchise
Moving back to the idea of giving Hall a role in a horror film, placing him into the Saw franchise could be a great way to subvert the public expectation of his acting. Rather than giving him the villain role, twist it on its head and let him suffer like Dexter made so many suffer before. Hall is obviously good with blood, and seeing him on the receiving end of torture for once could be particularly compelling for his fans. With Chris Rock having recently revived the series, the timing is perfect.
James Bond
This is a bit of a stretch because Bond is one of the biggest franchises ever. However, there is a role right there in front of his eyes that changes all of the time — and they’re looking for a new Bond.
Hall might not have the suave relaxed vibe of the likes of Sean Connery and Daniel Craig, but he could bring a unique vibe to the character. Perhaps more light-hearted and less uptight, but a little less…cool.
Doctor Who
Much like James Bond, the face of Doctor Who changes frequently. But unlike James Bond, Doctor Who openly acknowledges this facial reconstruction via a process called regeneration. We’ve just had the first female Doctor, but haven’t yet seen an American take on the role. While it is unlikely that the show is looking to de-diversify its portrayal of the character, it would be an interesting way to see how the character changes with this alternate portrayal.
Dexter… Again
While obviously, this is a role Michael C. Hall is more well-versed in than anyone else, it would be absolutely brilliant to revisit the serial-killing madman just once more. Considering we haven’t been able to get a look at what Dexter himself got up to after abandoning himself and growing a beard, perhaps just one feature-length film to show us what he got up to would be enough to satisfy our needs. Hall wasn’t happy with the ending the character got, so being given a chance to fix that might be exactly what he is looking for.
