Because a successful franchise simply can’t be milked enough, NBC is in the process of adapting Thomas Harris’ successful Hannibal Lecter series, focusing on Red Dragon, the first book. There have only been a paltry two films based on the book, so it’s about time the small screen took a stab at the property. Recently it has been announced that Hugh Dancy (BASIC INSTINCT 2, THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY) will assume the role of Will Graham, the character played by William Petersen and Edward Norton in MANHUNTER and RED DRAGON, respectively.
Of course, in any Hannibal Lecter story, no one really gives a hoot about the righteous cop on the case. All eyes will be on the casting of the doctor himself, which probably more or less makes or breaks this show. As casting directors sit through hour after hour of Anthony Hopkins impressions and actors doing that noise that is the main thing everyone remembers from the film, a thought should be spared for Brian Cox, who delivered a far more subtle Hannibal in the fantastic MANHUNTER. Our sympathies also go to franchise creator Thomas Harris, whose enduring love for these characters will require him to sit down at his computer and bash out another tie-in novel, like he did for movie prequel HANNIBAL RISING.
A skeptic might argue that, with DEXTER still pulling in the crowds, another serial killer drama is a tad superfluous. They are forgetting, though, that NBC will not allow the nudity and blood and guts and swearing of Showtime’s hit series. These skeptics are dummies because apparently our contemporary Hannibal will spend more time gassing with his pal Will Graham than chewing faces and whatnot. So it’s IN TREATMENT, then, but with fava beans.
Source: TVLine
