Hannibal Lecter TV Series Update

Today at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour, I had the chance to briefly ask NBC president Robert Greenblatt about the status of Hannibal, a potential TV series based around the Hannibal Lecter character, focusing on his relationship with Will Graham, the FBI agent destined to find out his secret and capture him. Early reports said NBC was going to go straight to series on the show – which is being written by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls) -- bypassing the pilot stage. Greenblatt confirmed that was the plan, but stressed they hadn't given it the greenlight yet, explaining, "Hannibal is still being written, but it is one of those great international co-production deals where if we want to go forward, it would be an episodic pickup. But we haven't seen the script yet."

I noted that Hannibal was innately a pretty dark character and subject matter for a primetime network series, but Greenblatt said he wasn't concerned. As he put it, "Yeah. You know what, it's part of the mix. I mean, look at Criminal Minds. That's a pretty dark show. I think it's dark with a bit of a… Well A, it's pre-sold. But it also has a kind of fantastical element to it, you know? It's a little mythic, that character. But again, we haven't seen the script yet."

• More Television News
• Latest Television News, Reviews, and Videos