Fans of the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs may be disappointed to learn that scene-stealing cannibal character Hannibal Lecter (formerly played by Anthony Hopkins) will not be featured in the upcoming CBS sequel series Clarice. The new series — based on Jonathan Demme’s film adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel of the same name — unfortunately won’t include any appearances from or mention of the character due to a rights issue, Entertainment Weekly reports. The rights to the Lecter character are currently split between MGM and the Dino De Laurentiis Company.
“I’m still trying to understand how the rights are divided,” Clarice executive producer Alex Kurtzman revealed to EW. “But it’s been quite liberating because we have no interest in writing about Hannibal — not because we didn’t love the films and the show, but because it was done so well by so many people that it didn’t feel fresh for us.”
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While the show will go on without one of its biggest characters, the series will include appearances from other names in Harris’ novel not mentioned in NBC’s Hannibal series — which ran for three seasons — including Starling, Ardelia Mapp, serial killer Buffalo Bill, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Paul Krendler, and some others.
The new production focusing on the FBI profiler will feature a few more differences from its past adaptations. It will be set in 1993, which picks up with the titular character (Rebecca Breeds) just one year after the events of Demme’s film. The show is also expected to dive into real events during that time including the Waco and Ruby Ridge seiges, and the first World Trade Center bombing. “The FBI has just had their asses handed to them, and that puts a tremendous amount of pressure on Clarice and all the characters in the FBI building,” Kurtzman said.
Additionally, producers revealed the first season will not include a serial killer. Instead, it will focus on “an entity that represents something that we deal with in our lives all the time,” the producer shared. “It’s a more expanded, nuanced, complicated, and topical version of a serial killer.”
Devyn Tyler, Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Doyle, join Breeds among the cast. Simon Northwood will take on the role of Buffalo Bill. Jenny Lumet will executive produce alongside Kurtzman. Clarice is scheduled for a Feb. 11 premiere date on CBS.
