NBC Orders Up ‘Hannibal’ With a Side of Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti

TV-to-movie adaptations are a dime a dozen, but television to film is more rare, and for good reason: It almost never succeeds, even if it’s good (as in the case of “Karen Sisco”). “Ferris Bueller,” “Delta House,” “The Firm,” “Clerks: The Animated Series,” and “Clone Wars,” are just a few among stinkers (not to mention, “Napoleon Dynamite”). There have been three notable, though low-rated successes in recent memory — “Parenthood,” “Friday Night Lights,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” — and one not-so-recent huge success, “MASH.” Overall, however, television audiences are not that interested in brand recognition when it comes to television shows (which is the complete opposite of the movie world. SEE Transformers, et. al).

Nevertheless, and despite the massive failure of “The Firm,” NBC has picked up “Hannibal,” promising a 13-episode order in the straight-to-series deal. The good news is that Bryan Fuller (“Dead Like Me,” “Pushing Daises”) is on board, but the bad news is that Fuller is better known for whimsical television. “Hannibal” is decidedly not whimsical.

The project is described as a contemporary thriller series featuring the classic characters from Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon – FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Hannibal Lecter – who are re-introduced at the beginning of their budding relationship.

I mean, I suppose it could be whimsical: A pie-man Hannibal and the series of girlfriends he woos and then bakes into his dishes, or maybe NBC’s “Hannibal” will have a quirky bro-romance between Will Graham and Lecter. I guess we should just be thankful that Brett Ratner is not involved.

(Source: Deadline)