CBS’ Clarice series won’t feature Hannibal Lecter

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

So this is interesting and unexpected. While talking with Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming CBS crime series Clarice – based on the classic 1991 crime thriller Silence of the Lambs – producers Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman gave more details on what to expect from the show.

They reveal – for instance – that the '90s setting will play a significant role on the show, as it will be set in the aftermath of real-life tragedies such as Waco, Ruby Ridge, and the first World Trade Center bombing, which will thus add significant "pressure" to Agent Clarice Starling and everyone in the FBI. They also reveal that Catherine Martin – the Senator's daughter that was kidnapped by Buffalo Bill in the original film – will be a major character in the series, and will be played by actress Marnee Carpenter (as well as the tidbit that the character has since adopted Bill's pet poodle).

But, most significantly (and why it's in the headline), Kurtzman reveals that the iconic cannibal serial killer Hannibal Lecter won't be appearing in the show at all – due to rights issues between MGM and the Dino De Laurentiis Company. But Kurtzman says that's a good thing, stating in the interview with EW:

I’m still trying to understand how the rights are divided…But it's been quite liberating because we have no interest in writing about Hannibal — not because we didn't love the films and the show, but because it was done so well by so many people that it didn't feel fresh for us.

I honestly couldn't agree more. As interesting as Lecter is as a character, I think focusing on different aspects of Clarice's career is the correct way to go for the show to find it's own identity. Still not sure about the merits of the show itself as a whole…but I can get behind that particular creative decision at least.

Anyway, here's the official synopsis:

Venture into 1993, a year after the events of "The Silence of the Lambs," to explore the untold personal story of Clarice Starling as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high-stakes political world of Washington, D.C. Watch the series premiere of Clarice on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 10/9c on CBS and CBS All Access.

Meanwhile, Clarice – starring Rebecca Breeds, Nick Sandow, and Erica Anderson – will premiere on CBS February 11, 2021!

So what do you guys think? Fans of the original Silence of the Lambs film? If so, what do you think of the upcoming show? Either way, sound off below!