15 Films You Didn't Realise Were Remakes
6. Red Dragon
Anthony Hopkins' chilling performance as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs cemented his career as an A-List star. Hopkins went on to reprise the role in the sequel, Hannibal, and the prequel, Red Dragon.
However, the first person to play the charismatic cannibal was Brian Cox in Michael Mann's 1986 thriller, Manhunter, which was an adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel, Red Dragon. Cox may not hold a candle to Hopkins portrayal as the Chianti-loving serial killer but his performance is solid and the film was well-received by critics.
The main difference between the films is how frequently Hannibal appears. Like the book, Lecter only plans a small role in Manhunter. However, he was stuffed into the remake as often as possible since fans would be furious to see one of the most iconic movie villains ever appearing in a bit-part.