How many books and films and TV series have there been about cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter?

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Dear Sara,

How many books and films and TV series have there been about cannibalistic
serial killer Hannibal Lecter?

Hungry for information,
Patty H.

Dear Patty,

The answer is a bit complicated, so bear with me. Author Thomas Harris has published four books featuring the character Hannibal Lecter (originally Lektor): “Red Dragon”, “The Silence of the Lambs”, ”Hannibal”, and “Hannibal Rising”. “Red Dragon” was originally adapted as the feature film “Manhunter” by writer/director Michael Mann in 1986. Here Hannibal is a supporting character, played by Brian Cox. Hannibal helps FBI profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) track a serial killer, even though Will is the one who captured Hannibal; the twist is that Hannibal is also advising Will’s quarry. “Silence of the Lambs” was adapted for the screen in 1991 by director Jonathan Demme and writer Ted Tally, this time featuring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal, with Jodie Foster as FBI agent Clarice Starling. Hannibal is still in jail, but he escapes in the finale. Silence won the Best Picture Oscar, plus Oscars for Foster, Hopkins, Demme and Tally, giving lie to the notion that horror never gets the gold. In 2001, “Hannibal”, which has our homicidal antihero now at large, was released, with Hopkins returning to the role and Julianne Moore taking over as Clarice. In 2002, “Manhunter” was remade as “Red Dragon” (now utilizing the original novel’s title), with Hopkins playing Lecter for the third time and Edward Norton as Will Graham. Then, in 2007, a film was made of “Hannibal Rising”, Harris’ prequel about Hannibal’s early life as a boy and then a young man, with Gaspard Ulliel as the twenty-ish Hannibal. “Hannibal Rising” doesn’t fit the chronology of the current television series “Hannibal”, adapted by Bryan Fuller and now on NBC, starring Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Lecter in the days before anyone suspected him of unorthodox habits and Hugh Dancy as the troubled Will Graham. Mikkelsen is clearly too young to have been alive during WWII, as Hannibal is in “Hannibal Rising”.

It’s In The Bag,
Sara Bellum,
Editor-at-Large
Buzzy Mag
 
 
 
 

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