Don't Give Up On Hannibal Season 4 Just Yet

It might be over ten years since Hannibal season 3 was released, but lovers of the cult series should not give up on a fourth outing quite yet. Debuting in 2013 on NBC, showrunner Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal is one of the most acclaimed psychological thrillers of the 2010s. The series focuses on FBO profiler Will Graham and his eponymous nemesis.

While Hugh Dancy’s Graham is central to Hannibal’s story, Mads Mikkelsen’s version of the title character is one of TV’s most iconic villains ever. A forensic psychiatrist, serial killer, and cannibal, Hannibal Lecter forms a unique relationship with Graham as he pushes the limits of the profiler’s empathy for killers and tries to make Graham a killer himself.

While Hannibal started life as a “Case of the week” procedural show, by Hannibal season 3, it was clear that Fuller’s series had morphed into something entirely more ambitious. Adapting author Thomas Harris’ books Red Dragon, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising simultaneously with its complex plot, Hannibal season 3 was singled out as the show’s most ambitious outing.

Hannibal Season 4 Is Currently Not Possible Due To Rights Issues

As such, fans were understandably crestfallen when the acclaimed series was canceled before Hannibal season 4 could happen. Since then, Fuller has been vocal about his enduring desire to tell the story of Harris’s 1988 novel The Silence of the Lambs in this proposed fourth season. The Silence of the Lambs was previously adapted as an Oscar-winning movie in 1990.

Currently, the rights to the Hannibal franchise are at the center of a complex legal quagmire, with the 2021 death of the series executive producer, Matha De Laurentiis, complicating matters further. Amazon MGM Studios owns the rights to The Silence of the Lambs, meaning Prime Video may be a fitting avenue for season 4’s renewal.

However, Hannibal’s first three seasons aired on NBC, meaning their own streaming service, Peacock, could arguably be a better home for the show’s return. As if this wasn’t complicated enough, it is important to note that the spinoff sequel series, Clarice, made without Fuller’s involvement, lasted only one season at CBS. This gives the show yet another potential home.

Hannibal’s Cast & Creative Team Are Keen To Make Season 4

Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter — Hannibal’s Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter

Despite all this complexity, there can be no doubt that Fuller wants to make Hannibal season 4 happen. Speaking to ScreenRant on the Saturn Awards red carpet, the showrunner said that Harris was “trying to corral them back underneath the same umbrella,” referring to the rights for the franchise’s various novels and potential screen adaptations.

Fuller said he hoped to have “everything under his purview” as Harris continued “trying to get Clarice back with Hannibal.” In earlier comments to BloodyDisgusting‘s Horror Queers podcast, Fuller clarified that, “I know exactly what season 4 of Hannibal is,” adding, “I’ve talked a little bit about wanting to do a Silence of the Lambs adaptation.”

What Hannibal Season 4’s Story Would Be

Hannibal Lecter looks on while wearing his signature mask in Red Dragon

Fuller even knows his dream casting for the season, with the show runner saying that he would ideally love to see Zendaya in the role of Clarice Starling. This is a pivotal part, as Starling acts as the primary protagonist of The Silence of the Lambs in both the novel and movie.

As such, it is not entirely clear how Fuller would go about bringing back Dancy’s Graham, who doesn’t appear in the novel or its earlier movie adaptation. However, considering how famous the movie version of The Silence of the Lambs is, it wouldn’t be surprising if Fuller’s vision for season 4 takes a completely different approach to the same story.

Hannibal Season 4 Needs To Happen

Hugh Dancy's Will looking at Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal through a plexiglass prison wall in Hannibal — Hugh Dancy’s Will looking at Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal through a plexiglass prison wall in Hannibal

Anthony Hopkins famously earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar despite the brevity of his role in The Silence of the Lambs, as his Hannibal Lecter isn’t onscreen for anywhere near as long as many viewers misremember. Thus, Fuller’s take on the novel needs to happen since his version would almost certainly center on Hannibal more and transform the storyline as a result.

Director Johnathan Demme’s movie version of The Silence of the Lambs was massively influential, inspiring movies like Se7en, Copycat, Fallen, and The Bone Collector in the years that followed. The movie’s focus on Clarice also inspired interest in criminal profiling, resulting in hit TV shows like Criminal Minds and Netflix’s masterpiece Mindhunter.

Hannibal Resolving Its Rights Issues Could Make Season 4 Better

Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal smiling ominously with a cut above his left eye in Hannibal — Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal smiling ominously with a cut above his left eye in Hannibal

As such, viewers need to see Fuller’s fresh take on this story from over 30 years ago, as the showrunner can offer a completely original version of the familiar plot that centers on an alternative main character. While this may have to wait until the franchise’s rights issues are finally cleared up, this could secretly be a good thing for the series.

Hannibal Creator Addresses Whether Hugh Dancy’s Will Would Appear In Potential Silence Of The Lambs Series

Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller discusses the possibility of Hugh Dancy reprising his role as Will Graham in a potential Silence of the Lambs TV series.

After all, when the rights are finally clarified, Hannibal season 4 may end up in a position where the show’s creators have no restrictions on what characters, storylines, and other parts of Harris’s intellectual property can be included in the show. This could mean a version of Hannibal season 4 that is shaped purely by Fuller’s vision and not pragmatic elision.