'Hannibal Lecter' Cast Announced, Mads Mikkelsen to Star
The cast of NBC's new television series "Hannibal" has been announced this week confirming that Dutch actor Mads Mikkelsen will play the title character.
"Hannibal" is based on the 1981 Thomas Harris novel "Red Dragon" as well as its sequels "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal."
The novels were later adapted into films such as 1991's "The Silence of the Lambs" starring Anthony Hopkins, who played Lecter. He also starred in the subsequent films "Hannibal" of 2001 and "Red Dragon" in 2002.
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Portraying Hannibal in the new series will not be the first time Mikkelsen has portrayed a villainous character. The actor previously appeared as the antagonist in the 2006 James Bond film "Casino Royale" as Le Chiffre.
Additionally, Mikkelsen was recently cast as the villain in the upcoming Marvel film "Thor 2," which will see Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.
Aside from "Casino Royale," Mikkelsen has appeared in films such as "Adam's Apples," "After the Wedding," and "The Hunt," for which he was awarded Best Actor during this year's Cannes Film Festival.
"Hannibal" will also star Hugh Dancy, who will play Special Agent Will Graham, according to Deadline.
The drama series received a 13-episode order from NBC and is expected to premiere sometime later this year.
Dubbed a "contemporary thriller" by TV Guide, the series will also feature other characters from Harris' "Red Dragon," but will not be a continuation of the movies. Instead, "Hannibal" will re-introduce characters at the beginning of their relationship.
Hannibal Lecter, the genius cannibalistic serial killer, remains one of the most world-renowned horror film characters of all time.
Hopkins' role in "The Silence of the Lambs" earned him an Academy Award, and the character has been at the center of several novels and films.
Additionally, Empire magazine named Lecter the 5th Greatest Movie Character of all time, while the American Film Institute named the character the number one movie villain.
