As swiftly as word came that the delightful spectacle of Hannibal had been cancelled, so did viewers, critics and its crew rally to support its continuation. As the option exists to take the series elsewhere, many hope an adventurous streaming service like Amazon (who has exclusive streaming rights to the show) will swoop in to save. Days after the decision, creator Bryan Fuller has discussed what lies ahead, both for the remaining ten episodes of its third season and what might be should it receive a fourth.
To the point of a new season of Hannibal premiering elsewhere, Fuller reiterates options are being explored, but also tells Vulture that his commitments to a Starz adaptation of Neil Gaimans American Gods would take a fourth season out of a regular network timeline. In order to make two shows work there would have to be flexibility in terms of when we would deliver the fourth season of Hannibal, Fuller explains. There would be a small gap if there is a fourth season because of my obligations to American Gods. I want to make sure, while launching a new series with my partner Michael Green, that were not taking away from either Hannibal or American Gods. They both have to be equally serviced.
Thats far off though, as theres still nearly an entire season of Hannibal left. The show, in its latest episodes, has proven a departure, veering off to Italy for a decadent and complex bit of Eurohorror. Halfway through the season, as its been reported, it will shift gears again into a proper adaptation of Thomas Harris Red Dragon.
Hannibal is such a special work, that to be bogged down in its cancellation rather than appreciate what it is, and what we got out of it, seems wrongheaded. Happily, Fuller hasnt lost sight of all thats to come since the heartbreaking news, as he calls it a six-hour miniseries of Red Dragon, and teases the four remaining episodes of the Italian arc are so gravely demented that I think theyre amongst my favorites of the series.
Perhaps most intriguing are the vagueries surrounding what Season 4 might be. Calling the envisioned season yet another reinvention of Hannibal as a whole, it certainly sounds not as clear cutwhen has Hannibal ever beenas simple continued adaptation of the Harris oeuvre.
For the full talk, with Vultures Matt Zoller Seitz, see here.
