As summer comes to a close with Labor Day weekend, the former Days of our Lives co-head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have given their annual fall season preview in episodes taped some 10-11 months ago.

As previously reported this past July, Ryan Quan returned to Days of our Lives and is now co-head writing the show with Ford, while Cwikly is now a consultant. The new co-head writing teams stories will not be seen till late spring/early summer 2027.

So for now, the stories pick up from where we left off with Cwikly and Ford promising via TV Insider, “Fall in Salem is full of twists and turns and secrets and surprises. Dots connect in unexpected ways as seemingly unrelated threads converge.”

Photo: JPI

CHECKMATE?

In one of the top mystery’s, Marlena is still having troubling memories and she will have another one on the Monday, September 7 episode. Meanwhile, her daughter Belle (Martha Madison) has gotten very close to Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) and as pictured here, the two smooch while in Italy searching for answers to the chess set that Stefano DiMera gifted th the late John Black and Marlena (Deidre Hall) that has some significance.

The head scribes share, “The (chess board) mystery and its fallout are central to the fall stories. Chad and Belle follow the clues to a discovery that changes both of their families, and Salem, forever. Marlena worries that their investigation/the chess set may be a Pandora’s box that has been opened. And she is right…”

Newcomers are also the order of the day for Cwikly and Ford, this fall. We have already seen the debut as Brandon Butler as Mason Whitfield, and next week you can add as previously reported Sydney Malakeh on the Thursday September 1o episode as Sydney DiMera, followed by the the Monday, September 14 arrival of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali.

Photo: Corday Productions

Paula and Jeanne Marie expressed on the incoming Dante, “The arrival of a stranger who will set the whole town on its ear. The character has several strong ties to the current canvas and impacts many storylines.” What will Dante be up to? We know Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) had mentioned in 2025 she got engaged to the man, but that was off-screen.

LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH OR THE ONE YOU WANT?

In the romance department, the triangle between Brady/Sarah/Xander heats up with a very conflicted Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). The head writers reveal, “When Sarah faces attacks personally and professionally, Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) work together to help and protect her. Sarah’s new love for Brady is challenged by her lingering love for Xander. Xander risks everything for Sarah.”

In addition look for, “Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip (John-Paul Lavoiser) to draw closer as he tries to save the family company and home.”

Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) will also be returning at some point this fall and she won’t be alone. Who might she bring with her? And from the looks of the Peacock promo for next week’s DAYS, someone is wearing Stefano’s ring around their finger, but who … and how does it all tie in this fall?

So, what do you think about some of the highlights coming up this fall on Days of our Lives per the series head writers? Does anything float your boat or pique your interest? If so, what? Let us know via the comment section. But first, check out the action next week on DAYS in the promo entitled “Bag of Tricks” below.

The Sydney mystery is solved! On Wednesday, September 2, Days of Our Lives revealed more details on the previous announcement that actress Sydney Malakeh was about to make her debut on the Peacock streaming soap opera on September 9.

However, now comes word via Deadline, that while previously unknown, Malakeh is taking on the role of Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) and EJ DiMera’s (Dan Feuerriegel), grown-up daughter, Sydney DiMera.

The last time anyone saw Sydney she was a pre-teen in the Days of our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas that streamed on Peacock in 2021.

Now the aged-up version is set to have a major storyline, in particular with the news of Brandon Butler showing up in his new role as Mason Whitfield, and especially the other DAYS casting announcement today of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali, with whom we last knew about off-screen was engaged to Sydney’s mother, Sami.

Taking to her Instagram on September 2, Malakeh shared, “Been waiting a long time to share this one. For the past 10 months, I’ve had the absolute pleasure of playing Sydney DiMera on Days of Our Lives. I cannot wait for you all to finally meet her September 9th on Peacock! It takes a village. So grateful for mine.”

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF?

From the looks of it, perhaps Sydney will be obsessed with Dante, sort of like Sami was obsessed with Austin and tried to get him away from her sister, Carrie (Christie Clark). Might Days be about to do a retread modernized version and this time have Sami on the receiving end of manipulations from her daughter? Time will tell.

As previously reported, Alison Sweeney is not due back on-screen until most likely late spring of 2027 after she taped a series of episodes last month in July.

Those who know the dramatic history of Sydney DiMera recall that back in 2008, Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker), who was married to EJ at the time, had a miscarriage and lost their baby. To hold on to her marriage, she plotted to steal Sami’s newborn daughter and switch her with another baby named Grace who’s mother was teenager Mia McCormick (Taylor Spreitler). 

A few years later, Grace died, and then Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) began to put two and two together. After one of the biggest bitch-slap showdowns on the soaps back in 2009, Nicole admitted what she did to Sami by stealing her biological child and Sami was eventually reunited with Sydney.

The question is, do you think Sydney DiMera is a bad girl or a good girl? Do you think she and Dante Vitali might have a thing going on? Could she be involved with Mason? Weigh-in via the comment section, and just for good measure, here’s ‘The Slap!’ from Sami delivered to Nicole below.

Days of Our Lives is undergoing a major shift on-screen with the additions of several new characters and actors in September, and now comes word that none other than Franco LoPresti, who appeared in the smash hit series, Heated Rivalry, has been cast as Dante Vitali!

As viewers recalled, Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) revealed on her last trip back to Salem in 2o25 that she is engaged to Dante Vitali, who hails from the notorious Vitali mob family. Remember Ava Vitali played by Tamara Braun? Dante is said to be her cousin on her father’s side.

Look for LoPresti to make his DAYS debut next week on the September 14 episode, and when Dante emerges on the scene, he will be Sami-less. However as previously reported, Alison Sweeney jumped back into her signature soap role last month in July, so she will be seen at some point in 2027, since the Peacock streaming soap opera tapes 10-11 months in advance of dropping all-new episodes.

Photo: Almay

WHAT ELSE HAS FRANCO LOPRESTI APPEARED IN?

Heated Rivalry fans will recall that LoPresti played hockey player, Cliff Marleau, who was a friend of one of the series leads Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and who caused Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) concussion.

The Canadian-born actor has been seen on multiple movies for Hallmark Channel and Lifetime, and appeared in an episode of Tracker starring soap alum Justin Hartley (ex-Passions and The Young and the Restless) back in 2025. He is married to actress Emily Atalalo (pictured above).

What viewers do know of the back-story of Dante through Sami is that, he wanted no part of the crime family who was based in the United States. Dante had been living in Italy. But with Sami’s luck, can her engagement to this guy go any way but completely off course? We shall see!

So, what do you think about the casting of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali? Excited to see him hit the screen on Days of Our Lives next week? Did you watch the first season of Heated Rivalry? Comment below.