Hannibal has been off the air for a decade, yet the appetite for more is very much alive. And this time the dream casting comes with a twist that would light up social media. Series creator Bryan Fuller says his ideal return would be a limited Silence of the Lambs arc with Zendaya stepping into the role of Clarice Starling opposite Mads Mikkelsen’s Dr. Lecter.
That is not a subtle pitch. It is also the clearest signal yet that Fuller still has a fourth season in mind, one that would finally cross into the most famous corner of Thomas Harris’ world if rights and schedules line up.
The pitch, straight from Bryan Fuller
The two-time Emmy nominee laid it out plainly in a recent interview. “My dream project is to do a limited series of Silence of the Lambs with Mads and Zendaya as Clarice Starling. If I could put anything out into the universe, I would put that into the universe.”
The original NBC series ran from 2013 to 2015 with Mikkelsen as the cultured cannibal and Hugh Dancy as FBI profiler Will Graham. The show blended elements from Harris’ novels Red Dragon, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising, crafting a visually striking prequel that became a critical favorite.
Mikkelsen has kept the door open
Mikkelsen has never dismissed the idea of returning to the role. In 2023 he told Deadline there is always a chance, adding, “It is all about finding a home for it.” He also cautioned that there is a window. “Of course, we are running out of time. We cannot wait 20 years, but in the next couple of years, if somebody finds a home, I think we are all ready to take it up again.”
The Clarice rights have been the speed bump
Fuller has talked for years about wanting to use Clarice and the Silence framework, but the production did not control those rights during the original run. He explained at Comic Con in 2015 that the team approached MGM repeatedly. “At first, it was a hard No, then it was Ask us later and then it was Ask us again next year. It would be fantastic if they agreed.”
He also floated casting ideas over the years. “I liked Elliot Page for the role, but I also love the idea of casting somebody who is not white in that role. Having race play a factor in Clarice’s background, in a way that race plays a factor in everybody’s background, I think that would be an interesting exploration of the character.”
Why Zendaya makes sense for Clarice
Zendaya brings star power, awards credibility, and an audience that spans prestige TV, blockbuster film, and Gen Z fandom. Clarice is a role that has earned serious hardware in the past. Jodie Foster won Best Actress for The Silence of the Lambs in 1991, and Julianne Moore later took over in 2001’s Hannibal. The character was most recently portrayed by Rebecca Breeds in CBS’ 2021 series Clarice, set after the events of the original novel.
What would have to happen next
The wishlist is clear. A limited series format, Mikkelsen as Lecter, Zendaya as Clarice, and a narrative shaped around Silence. The hurdles are also clear. Rights alignment for Clarice and Silence, scheduling for the principals, and the all important question of which platform would fund a premium thriller that leans more psychological than procedural.
Bottom line
Fuller is not just reminiscing. He is actively manifesting a specific version of Hannibal, one that finally brings Clarice into the fold with a marquee star. If a buyer steps up and the rights fall into place, the series that once pushed network television into arthouse horror territory could return as an event. Until then, the idea is out in the universe, exactly where Fuller wants it.
