Dexter star Michael C. Hall talks about his new movie, Gamer, out this weekend

The new season of Dexter is still a few weeks away, but Michael C. Hall fans can get a dose of the actor’s incredible talent this weekend, with the opening of his action film Gamer.

MCH plays Ken Castle, the computer genius who developed the games Society and Slayer, which let players control real people as their avatars. Society let players run a community, but was non-violent (think The Sims). Slayer, on the other hand, is a killing game that uses death row inmates as the avatars. They can earn their freedom if they survive 30 levels of the game — a feat Castle expects to be impossible.

In an interview about the movie, Hall said he was attracted to the idea of playing the game creator because Castle is less internalized than Dexter Morgan. Hall didn’t have to be as restrained in the role, he said, and he liked that the audience didn’t have a direct line to his thoughts, as it does via the voiceovers on Dexter.

Gamer hit No. 3 at the box office when it opened this Friday, besting Inglourious Basterds and District 9. It’s currently in wide release nationwide. Want more? Watch the Gamer trailer here.

Dexter’s fourth season premieres Sunday, Sept. 29, on Showtime.