Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
NBC’s Hannibal was a rare gift; helmed by Bryan Fuller, the psychological thriller introduced us to a still-practicing Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and the complicated, dangerous relationship that develops between the two of them. It’s not an overstatement to say that there has truly been nothing like Hannibal on TV; masterfully written, compellingly constructed, and visually breathtaking, the haunting series effectively cemented itself as the smartest, most meticulous serial killer drama on the air. The performances from every player and the larger life questions that plagued every episode ensured that each installment was seared into viewers’ minds for weeks after.
When the series was unceremoniously cancelled after three seasons in 2015, fans (and critics alike) made their unhappy voices heard. About a year ago, Fuller began teasing the idea of bringing the show back, but noted that conversations couldn’t begin until two years after the final airing of Season 3. Last week, however, Fuller tweeted that the conversations had started. Undyingly loyal, the “Fannibals” began to spread this exciting news throughout the Twittersphere, thrilled at the idea of having the show back on the table. Even producer Martha De Laurentiis joined in on the fun, tweeting her own image with Fuller and a Hannibal action figure.
The truth is, the timing couldn’t be better for a revival, thanks to a few chance things aligning. Here are five reasons why it’s the perfect time to bring Hannibal back for a fourth season.
Rights for 'The Silence of the Lambs' are finally becoming available.
When Hannibal was on the air, the rights for the story elements and characters from The Silence of the Lambs still belonged to the producers of Jonathan Demme‘s award-winning film, preventing Fuller from being able to venture into telling Hannibal’s most notorious tale. This month, however, the rights to Thomas Harris’ novel revert back, making them available to Fuller and Laurentiis and allowing them to move full speed ahead towards continuing Lecter’s story (and potentially adding Clarice into the mix)! Fuller said last year that he’d love to do a Silence of the Lambs miniseries, so the stars seem to be aligning here.
Cancellations aren't a death sentence anymore - and 'Hannibal' is much more suited to streaming.
Thanks to streaming, a network cancellation doesn’t mean a show’s gone forever anymore – think of how Hulu resurrected The Mindy Project and Yahoo picked up Community. The show’s rights will soon be up for grabs, and if NBC is reluctant to bring it back, Hannibal can certainly find a home on any of the streaming bigwigs. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, or any of the other popular services would totally make a good home for Hannibal, and honestly, it’d probably be better off there. While the series certainly pushed boundaries when it came to showing the goriest of sequences on NBC, Hannibal would be allowed even more freedom to indulge their most gruesome fantasies without network limitations.
Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen are TOTALLY down to come back.
It certainly wouldn’t be Hannibal without our beloved stars, and the two members of the most demented bromance (romance?) of all-time are totally keen on coming back. Their chemistry was a huge part of what made the show so compelling, and can perhaps be credited with propelling the both of them further into stardom – Dancy currently stars on Hulu’s The Path and Mikkelsen is fresh off roles in Marvel and Star Wars flicks.
At TCA last year, Dancy said that “all of us would happily come back in the future”, and Fuller recently revealed he’d already pitched his idea for a Season 4 to both Dancy and Mikkelsen, and they were both “excited about the prospect of returning to the story.”
The 'Fannibal' community is alive and well.
If the Twitter responses to (and harassment of) Fuller didn’t make things obvious enough, Hannibal still boasts an impressive online fanbase, and the streaming availability of all 3 seasons on Prime Video has only created more fans since its cancellation. If the show did go the streaming route, there certainly wouldn’t be a shortage of viewers – and online conversation – to keep the show going. They’re more than ready for another serving.
Serial killer dramas are hotter than ever right now.
If the built-in audience (including Fannibals and Silence of the Lambs lovers) wasn’t enough, the wild popularity of serial killer series should cement the decision to revive Hannibal. Netflix’s Mindhunter is set to drop on the platform this fall and will probably be another smash success for the streaming giant, and other series like The Fall, Bates Motel, True Detective, Broadchurch, and more have consistently delivered massive audiences and rave reviews (not to mention continued binges on streaming platforms). Hannibal is a fresh, stylish take on the genre, and would likely be welcomed back with open arms (and plates).
