This dark horror/drama series was cut short by NBC, but its creator continues to push for its return, and its arrival on Netflix could offer the perfect opportunity.
What Is It?
This psychological horror thriller follows brilliant FBI profiler Will Graham as he investigates gruesome serial murders with the help of renowned psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Unbeknownst to Graham and the FBI, Lecter is himself a sophisticated cannibalistic serial killer who manipulates those around him while secretly orchestrating many of the crimes they investigate. Blending crime drama, psychological suspense, and striking visual artistry, the series explores the increasingly complex and dangerous relationship between the two men.
Aired: NBC, 2013-15, 3 Seasons Totaling 39 Episodes
Starring: Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, Hettienne Park, Laurence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson
Created By: Bryan Fuller
Why Was It Cancelled?
This series was on borrowed time from the beginning because of its very dark and complex nature, making it a poor fit for the broadcast network primetime schedule. It debuted to tepid ratings, and those only declined from there. However, it did have international financing backing it, and it was part of a well-known franchise. In addition, it was one of the early shows to get a boost from social media, and NBC took notice of that.
It was given a second-season renewal, but the numbers continued to slide when it returned the next year. Still, the first season won the Saturn Award for Best Network Television Series, and it received plenty of attention from other awards organizations as well as high marks from critics. The network renewed the show for a third season but shuffled it off to a summer run in 2015, which was not a good sign. The numbers were low, as would be expected for that time of year, and NBC decided not to bring it back for a fourth season even though it continued to receive favorable reviews from critics and plenty of attention during awards season.
There were talks of Amazon picking up the series since it held the streaming rights to the first three seasons, but that company was still in the early years of exploring original programming, and a deal could not be worked out. There were also talks of Netflix continuing the series, but with Amazon holding the rights to the encore runs, that proved to be too much of a hurdle. A movie continuation was also considered, but nothing moved forward with that.
Over the years, Bryan Fuller has continued to push for a revival, and in an interview with Polygon earlier this year, he said that he was “not giving up.” He claimed that he still wanted to move forward with a revival, but not necessarily on television. One of the mediums he suggested was an audio drama:
There’s something appealing about an audio story, because we could bring the actors back, and even if they were sitting in a recording studio with headphones, it would still be those actors. It would still be Laurence Fishburne. It would still be Gillian Anderson, Hugh, and Mads.
There is an issue with the rights, as those are up in the air following the death of Martha De Laurentiis in 2021. And the actors are not getting any younger, but Fuller claimed in the interview above that there is still some time:
There’s something about the nature of the next step of Will and Hannibal’s relationship that could happen now, that could happen five years from now, and we would still be able to tell the same story because of the nature of what the Season 4 story is in my mind. So yes, there’s a time limit, but it’s not any time soon. I’m not giving up.
Fuller has also indicated that he wants to adapt The Silence of the Lambs story (not necessarily as Season 4) and that he wants Zendaya to play Clarice Starling. So despite the cancellation and the passage of time, Fuller continues pushing for this one, and the majority of the cast have expressed an interest in returning, so there is a chance it could come back at some point.
Can the Fans Save the Series?
Hannibal previously streamed on Netflix in 2020, but it left the service after one year. It will return before the end of the month, and that may be an opportunity to prove that there is still an audience for the show. If fans can stage watch parties on the service and get it into Netflix’s Top 10, that will definitely bring it some attention. In addition, if they can get it trending on social media—as they did during its original run—that will do even more to demonstrate that there is strong interest in a revival.
With it streaming on Netflix, fans should definitely focus their efforts on that service, lobbying for a fourth season. And since Bryan Fuller has been pushing for a revival, perhaps they could enlist his support as well as that of the show’s stars. It is also streaming on Prime Video, so perhaps a resurgence in views on that service, along with a social media campaign, could get Amazon executives to consider a revival. There is still the issue of the rights, but both Netflix and Amazon have more money than God, so they could certainly work that out. Now is definitely the time for fans to make their voices heard, and if support is strong enough, perhaps Hannibal could dine again.
Where Can You Watch It?
As mentioned above, the show is currently streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video and it arrives on Netflix July 27th. It has not received a DVD or Blu-ray release in the United States, but you can purchase the series on VOD.
Are you a fan of the Hannibal TV series and would you support fan efforts to bring it back for a fourth season? Chime in with your thoughts below in the comments section.
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