Just about a week ago, things weren’t looking up for Hannibal fans. Following the show’s cancellation by NBC last month, we had hoped there would be some sort of revival, a pick-up by another network for Season 4. But as news came in that both Netflix and Amazon had passed on the project, hope was running low. It may be time to pick up our chins though, as showrunner Bryan Fuller just teased the possibility of a feature film.
During what could be Hannibal’s final Comic-Con appearance, Fuller was obviously prompted on the status of Season 4. Was there another network willing to step in? Could Fuller find life for Will Graham and Hannibal Lector elsewhere? To a crowd of his most dedicated fans, Fuller gave the best answer he could:
We are still looking; we don't have a lot of answers and we're looking at the possibility of a feature. So we have Hugh and Mads, who are very committed to the show and would love to continue with the show. The way this season ends, we have the opportunity for a break and hopefully we'll be able to find a way to bring Mads and Hugh back to you.
Fuller also explained the reasoning behind some network’s dismissals. For Netflix, it came down to a streaming deal. Since Hannibal was already on contract for an Amazon streaming deal, it caused difficulty for Netflix. And when it came to Amazon, Fuller explained that they would have like to have done the fourth season, but they wanted a quicker turnaround then the showrunners saw possible.
Hugh Dancy who portrays Will Graham in the series, also spoke out during the panel reiterating the cast and crew’s commitment to continuing the series, one way or another.
We all feel very bittersweet. It's an emotional thing for all of us and it's not over in the sense that we're fully committed and have been living this for a few years and that's still very true in this moment.
Though one of the reasons that Hannibal has seen so much success, is because of its unique view of the pre-Silence of the Lambs Hannibal Lector in TV format, it would be interesting to see the property turned into a feature film. As Fuller teased, Season 3 will end in a way that gives the showrunners an opportunity to break and work out something new to follow. Depending on the cliffhanger that comes along with this season’s finale, there may be enough to hold out for a film. Though that will most likely take much more time to create.
For now, you can catch the rest of Season 3 Hannibal Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC and we’ll keep you updated on any progress on hopefully a new home.
