Anthony Hopkins regrets playing Hannibal Lecter more than once

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Anthony Hopkins regrets HANNIBAL and RED DRAGON even more than you do, and calls the movie he won a Best Actor Oscar for “okay.”

That’s the gist of a short but bittersweet interview Hopkins gave with The Wrap, where it’s clear the actor doesn’t think all that much of the role that made him a horror icon.

The Wrap asked the legendary thespian if he’d ever portray Lecter again, with the response being:

No. I don’t want to do that. Done with that.”

Being that he’s 78-years-old, it’s no surprise that Hopkins is done portraying the brilliant cannibal. Add to that the character might now be more closely associated with the TV show – and Mads Mikkelsen – and it’s pretty clear Sir Anthony won’t be reprising the role ever again.

Perhaps slightly more revealing is the fact Hopkins isn’t very fond of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS follow-ups HANNIBAL and RED DRAGON:

I did it once. Made the mistake of doing it twice — three times. ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ is okay. It was a good film.”

Most would argue SILENCE is a little more than “okay” or “good,” but a lot of folks might not disagree with Hopkins calling HANNIBAL and RED DRAGON mistakes. Although, truth be told, I’m one of a small cult of HANNIBAL fans; that movie is kind of a mess, but damn if it doesn’t contain some gloriously outrageous moments.