Cunning and cannibalistic, Dr. Hannibal Lecter can cause a chill at the back of the neck quite unlike any other movie villain.
Originally portrayed with well-mannered menace by Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Lecter has since been given new life by Mads Mikkelsen in critically acclaimed horror series Hannibal.
But we haven’t seen anywhere near as much of Clarice Starling, the clever, complicated FBI Academy student who set the bar sky high for all movie detectives to come. Until now, that is.
With the lambs hopefully having stopped screaming, Clarice is making her long-awaited return. This time she will have her very own TV show, entitled – of course – Clarice. And if you can say that title while not doing an impression of Lecter’s signature hiss, then you’re a stronger person than me.
Clarice will reportedly pick up just one year after the events of the first – and best – movie, set way back in 1993.
In many ways, I’m delighted Clarice will be kept in this pre-internet period, further solidifying her status as a ’90s icon. However, I’m also low-key gutted this effectively rules out the incomparable Jodie Foster who, at 57, probably wouldn’t be too keen on playing a fledgling cop.
As reported by Deadline, CBS has just closed deals for Clarice, which is being written and executive produced by The Man Who Fell to Earth co-creators Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet.
Kurtzman and Lumet told Deadline:
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.
This isn’t the first time a show focusing on Clarice has been on the cards. In 2012, MGM joined forces with Lifetime to develop a TV series following Clarice’s early career post-graduation. However, this project ended up being shelved.
Deadline wrote of the upcoming spin-off show:
The series 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.
Hannibal Lecter reportedly won’t be making an appearance in Clarice, but I have full confidence Clarice can carry her own story and take down any monster she encounters.
Now, let the guessing game of who exactly will be stepping into Clarice’s tweed blazer begin…
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.