How Is ‘Clarice’ Connected to ‘Silence of the Lambs’?

A cinematic classic is coming to television. This week marks the premiere of Clarice, CBS’ new series connected to The Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster may not be involved, but there are plenty of reasons to get excited about this one.

You may be asking yourself, haven’t we done this before? How exactly is Clarice connected to Silence of the Lambs? Where does it take place in the timeline of this twisted universe? Don’t worry, we have you covered.

How Is Clarice Connected to Silence of the Lambs?

CBS’ new drama is a sequel to the beloved Oscar-sweeping, horror-defining movie. Clarice picks up one year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs and, as you may imagine from its title, focuses on Clarice Starling. After her success tracking down Buffalo Bill and connecting with Hannibal Lecter, Clarice (played by Rebecca Breeds) is in an unusual position. She’s been in the public eye for a year and has been resolutely praised by the powers above her, yet she’s still new to the cutthroat world of the FBI. Clarice will follow this brilliant investigator as she pursues serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating her own complicated fame.

Will Hannibal Lecter Be in Clarice?

That’s a big N-O. Hannibal Lecter won’t be in Clarice, not because of story reasons but because of licensing reasons.

As we’ve covered before, CBS only has the rights to the book The Silence of the Lambs. The rights to Thomas Harris’ other books that revolve around Hannibal the cannibal — Red Dragon, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising — are all owned by NBC. Those rights are what allowed the network to produce Bryan Fuller’s critically-acclaimed series about a killer too smart for the world. So while a Clarice and Hannibal crossover seems inevitable, Mads Mikkelsen will not be making an appearance on this CBS show.

Who’s in the Cast of Clarice?

Rebecca Breeds is set to play the fearless and exacting Clarice Starling. She’s even perfected Jodie Foster’s accent! Prior to being cast in this role, Breeds was best known for portraying Nicole in Pretty Little Liars and Aurora de Martel in The Originals.

Breeds will be joined by Devyn A. Tyler, Lucca De Oliveira, Kal Penn, Nick Sandow, Michael Cudlitz, and Marnee Carpenter. This new drama comes from Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. Kurtzman is best known for his recent work on Star Trek, and Lumet is known for writing the awards-nominated Rachel Getting Married.

Where to stream Clarice