It was a couple months back when a most promising new development was announced by Gaumont International television, the L.A. based wing of the famed French production company. After putting TV veteran Katie O'Connell at the helm as the company's new CEO, one of GIT's first creative moves was to start development on a Bryan Fuller written Hannibal Lector series aimed at both American and International audiences. And it seems like the Americans are definitely on-board with the concept since NBC has just preemptively purchased the pilot.
Deadline is reporting that Gaumont International Television and Ms. O'Connell have just secured their first American sale by setting up the Bryan Fuller written and produced Thomas Harris adaptation at NBC. In an interesting move, NBC has Fuller developing the pilot script against a 13 episode commitment from the network, meaning that if they like the script, it's full steam ahead on a baker's dozen of shows for the new series. Deadline also notes that the window fro NBC to pick up the series after receiving the pilot script is quite short, so decisions will be made promptly - meaning we may have some more news on this show very soon.
I love how the article mentions Fuller's love of food as a major reason that he is so interested in writing for Hannibal, a character whose culinary tastes stray a little off the beaten path. For my money (as I said in a previous post about the project), you could find a better writer to tackle the iconic character not just because of this interest in the culinary macabre but more so his impressive track-record and how I think the sensibilities behind the amazing, and woefully short-lived Pushing Daisies will translate perfectly to this new venture. I mean, Hannibal as a character has always been a little tongue-in-cheek (pun intended) and even a little bit camp. There's is definitely some dark humor to explore with this dark and twisted 'buddy-cop' formula.
Hannibal will be a one-hour drama that intends to explore the 'Red Dragon' years that saw the crazed psychologist working with young FBI profiler Will Graham. This premise is brilliant for television because of the perfect mix serialized and episodic storytelling. On one hand you have the procedural aspect of Graham and Lecter working cases but also the big arc of Graham coming to the realize Lecter's criminality. Now that the show is inching closer to TV screens it's almost time to let the fantasy casting begin... Yes, cinema's greatest villain is coming to the small-screen. My choice remains the same - Cillian Murphy for Lecter would be chilling. And who could play our tortured hero? Someone like Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) would be ideal (although he's breaking out a little too big), a man who looks like an 'All-American' while also conveying a certain level of vulnerability. I'm excited, your thoughts?
