Hannibal Lecter (franchise)

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The Hannibal Lecter franchise is an American media franchise based around the titular character,
Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant, cannibalistic serial killer whose assistance is routinely sought out by law
enforcement personnel to aide in the capture of other criminals. He originally appeared in a series of
novels (starting with Red Dragon in 1981) by Thomas Harris. The series has since expanded into film and
television.

Hannibal Lecter

Hannibal Lecter novels.png

The Hannibal Lecter series of novels

Created by

Thomas Harris

Original work

Red Dragon

Print publications

Novel(s)

Red Dragon (1981)

The Silence of the Lambs (1988)

Hannibal (1999)

Hannibal Rising (2007)

Films and television

Film(s)

Manhunter (1986)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal (2001)
Red Dragon (2002)

Hannibal Rising (2007)

Television series

Hannibal (2013–15)

Novels

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Red Dragon (1981)

The Silence of the Lambs (1988)

Hannibal (1999)

Hannibal Rising (2006)

Films and television

Edit

Manhunter (1986)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal (2001)

Red Dragon (2002)

Hannibal Rising (2007)

Hannibal (TV series) (2013–15)

The first adaptation was the 1986 film Manhunter, which was an adaptation of Red Dragon, directed by
Michael Mann.

The next adaptation was 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, which was directed by Jonathan Demme and
was the first film to feature Anthony Hopkins in the role of Hannibal Lecter. Silence was a success, both
critically and financially, and went on to become the third film in Academy Awards history to win in all
top five categories (Best Actor for Hopkins, Best Actress for Jodie Foster, Best Director for Demme, Best
Adapted Screenplay for Ted Tally, and Best Picture). Hopkins reprised the role in the next two films,
2001's Hannibal, a sequel directed by Ridley Scott, and 2002's Red Dragon, a prequel directed by Brett
Ratner. In 2002, Hopkins revealed that he had written a screenplay for another sequel, ending with
Clarice killing Lecter but it was not produced.[1]
In 2007, Hannibal Rising was released. The film is a prequel, directed by Peter Webber and starring
Gaspard Ulliel as Lecter.

In 2013, the TV series Hannibal premiered. Developed by Bryan Fuller, it is not a direct adaptation, but
based on characters and elements from the novels. Some male characters have become female, such as
Freddy Lounds, who is renamed Fredricka "Freddie" Lounds. The series has garnered much critical
acclaim since its premiere, winning the 2014 and 2015 Saturn Award for Best Network Television Series,
as well as the inaugural Best Action-Thriller Television Series in 2016.

In 2016, when asked if there were any sequels that he wished he could revisit, Hopkins said, "I made the
mistake of doing two more [Hannibal Lecter movies] and I should have only done one."[2]

In 2017, Foster reprised her role as Starling in a skit titled "Clarice Probes Hannibal Lecter About Trump's
Russia Ties" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, opposite Stephen Colbert as Hannibal Lecter. In the
skit, Clarice questions Lecter on his relationship with Donald Trump and what he can tell her about his
relationship with Russia.[3]