CBS Is Working On A 'Silence Of The Lambs' Sequel Series Focused On Clarice Sterling
A New Series In The Works
The iconic thriller Silence of the Lambs is getting a sequel series from CBS. Clarice is expected to go straight to series and comes from Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet, who are behind Star Trek: Discovery and the upcoming Star Trek: Picard. The duo released a statement saying:
"After more than 20 years of silence, we’re privileged to give voice to one of America’s most enduring heroes – Clarice Starling. Clarice’s bravery and complexity have always lit the way, even as her personal story remained in the dark. But hers is the very story we need today: her struggle, her resilience, her victory. Her time is now, and always."
What Should People Expect?
According to reports, the series will take place in 1993, one year after the events in Silence of the Lambs. The official description from CBS sounds promising:
"[Clarice is] a deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high stakes political world of Washington, D.C."
One can't help but worry that it will ultimately end up like every other CBS procedural though, despite the darker source material. What would a property like this look at on FX or HBO?
What About 'Hannibal?'
This isn't the first time that something Silence of the Lambs adjacent hit television. NBC's Hannibal ran for three seasons from 2013 to 2015, and the small but devoted fanbase has never given up hope of a fourth season. The rights to the character of Clarice Sterling have always been owned by MGM, so she never showed up on Hannibal.
Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller responded to a question on Twitter about Clarice and whether it impacted the long shot return of Hannibal:
"Martha [De Laurentiis] & I tried many times to work with MGM to include Clarice into our Hannibal story. They ultimately told us they had their own plans for Clarice and they didn't need Hannibal to tell her story. Don’t think this impacts a potential #HANNIBAL S4 as we never had Clarice rights."
What Do Fans Think?
People on Twitter are definitely intrigued by the prospect of Clarice on Twitter, but most of them just want more Hannibal.
"Why have a show about Clarice when you can #savehannibal ?"
However, there were plenty who are open minded to the prospect and reminded people of the impact that Clarice Sterling (and Jodie Foster's portrayal of her) made on cinema:
"Yes it's a shame that new Hannibal news isn't new news about season 4 of the show, but let's not turn that into disrespect for Clarice Sterling. She was a feminist icon in the 90s, and Demme & Foster's creation was an important part of feminist cinema history."
Who should play the FBI agent in the new series?
