Lecter in French

According to French movie site Allocine.com, Gaspard Ulliel (who we North Americans last saw in A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT) is in final talks to play the role that Anthony Hopkins made famous for the prequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, appropriately named BEHIND THE MASK (a better title than what’s been going around
on the net, the lamer YOUNG HANNIBAL). It was said that he gave a better screen test than fellow candidates Macaulay Culkin and Hayden Christensen.

Also, Moviehole reports that according to The Daily Mail, the movie will also star Rhys Ifans (NOTTING HILL) as the dude that murders Lecter’s parents, Kevin McKidd (the very cool DOG SOLDIERS) and Li Gong (currently filming MIAMI VICE), and will be narrated by the “2nd” version of Lecter himself, Anthony Hopkins. All of the cast announcements are expected to be announced at the Venice Film Festival.

Directed by Peter Webber (GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING and an episode of SIX FEET UNDER) and based on Thomas Harris’ upcoming new book of the same name, this prequel shows a young Hannibal Lecter in three different phases of his life: From childhood in Lithuania to his ten years in France, up to his time in America before his capture by FBI agent Will Graham in RED DRAGON.