Trailer: NBC's HANNIBAL

NBC have finally released a trailer for their TV series based on characters created by author Thomas Harris, popularised in movies like Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal and Red Dragon. (We'll forget the atrocious prequel Hannibal Rising.)

This new series comes from writer-producer Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies), which means it's an extreme change of tone and style for him. The pilot's directed by David Slade (Hard Candy, Twilight: New Moon) and the main reason to be excited is the excellent cast they've assembled: Hugh Dancy as FBI Agent Will Graham, The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne as FBI Agent Jack Crawford, Firefly's Gina Torres, The X Files' Gillian Anderson, and not forgetting the excellent Mads Mikkelsen as eponymous anti-hero Dr Hannibal Lecter.

I read the pilot's script last summer and found it a decent page-turner, but I'm surprised it's gone so quiet since then. Hopefully this isn't a sign that NBC know they have a turkey on their hands, because I really want this show to work. Fox's own serial killer show The Following is dropping in the ratings (down to 7.79m from the premiere high of 10.42m), so maybe the mainstream audience appetite for blood-soaked psychological thrillers just isn't there? Maybe. Both shows feel like projects better suited to HBO or Showtime in today's TV landscape, but maybe Hannibal the Cannibal's pop-culture impact will turn Fuller's new show into a bigger than expected hit? One can hope.

Update: 28/02/13 - the international trailer is much longer and more revelatory:

HANNIBAL premieres 4 April on NBC.