Hannibal Lecter’s murderous adventures will continue on the small screen. French studio Gaumont has today announced a brand new international television division based in L.A. that will produce & distribute a new series about the early days of the character Brian Cox first portrayed on the screen (in an under-rated performance too in Manhunter) but Sir. Anthony Hopkins immortalised in a separate trilogy (Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon). Most recently a failed movie prequel titled Hannibal Rising was unleashed that thrusted Gaspard Ulliel in what was a “Hannibal Begins” style movie but it wasn’t good.
The new show will be produced by Martha De Laurentiis, who was behind that film.
“Hannibal” will center on Lecter’s early days, namely his time going head-to-head with FBI agent Will Graham. The back story between the two characters were alluded to in Thomas Harris’ novel “Red Dragon” and the films Manhunter and Red Dragon.
William Petersen played Graham in Manhunter, Edward Norton in Red Dragon – both were adaptations of the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon. Obviously Anthony Hopkins won’t be involved and the t.v. show will likely end up being some sort of formulaic CSI procedural because really… how long can you stretch this idea out before it becomes a ‘killing of the week’ style show with Hannibal murdering people and giving Petersen advice on solving cases?
Everyone knows and understands the power of Silence of the Lambs was how little Lecter was used on screen and seeing the character for 30 minutes or more every week, well it will become very old and tired very quickly.
More info on the show when we get it but I would love to hear your early thoughts.
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1 Comments
It was old Dino who demanded that awful Hannibal Rising novel and film and now Martha has come to milk the series once more. They are essentially ruining the mythos Lecter by diving far too deep in his actions. Hannibal (the novel)gave us just enough of Lecter’s mind and history to retain his menace and brought the character full circle. The whole series was a brief saga that relied mostly on the viewer’s, or readers, imagination to contemplate the horror. Oh well, all I am glad about is Thomas Harris not participating in this farce.