Why CBS’ ‘Silence of the Lambs’ Sequel ‘Clarice’ Can’t Mention Hannibal Lecter by Name
Buffalo Bill and Catherine Martin are fair game, and play a large role in the seriesTim Baysinger | February 10, 2021 @ 8:26 AM Last Updated: February 10, 2021 @ 12:32 PM
Brooke Palmer/CBS
CBS’ “Silence of the Lambs” sequel “Clarice” won’t get to mention one of its most famous characters by name because of rights issues.
Despite taking place a year after the events of “Silence of the Lambs,” the CBS series will not mention Hannibal Lecter, the cannibalistic serial killer memorably played by Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 film.
The rights to Thomas Harris’ characters are split between MGM and the Dino De Laurentiis Company. “Clarice” showrunner Elizabeth Klaviter explained that CBS only has the rights for characters introduced in Harris’ 1988 novel “Silence of the Lambs.” Unfortunately, since Lecter’s first appearance came in another Harris
Clarice embarrasses itself right away. The
Silence of the Lambs sequel series (premiering Feb. 11 at 10 p.m. on CBS) begins with Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) in a therapy session that doubles as a Previously On sequence. It s one year since the FBI rookie hunted the skinsuited maniac Buffalo Bill. Their showdown provided the fearsome climax of 1991 s
Lambs movie, with director Jonathan Demme staging their darkened duel inside Bill s hellish mancave.
Clarice substitutes quick-cut flashbacks that look like bad cosplay. It s a clip reel of fan serviced trauma. Goodbye horses, hello reboot.
Starting from 1986 s
Red Dragon, Thomas Harris blood-opera-of-the-mind literature has made for splendid cinema, cash-in sequel-prequels, camp silliness, and a couple projects representing all of the above.
A ‘Silence of the Lambs’-inspired drama, Queen Latifah as ‘The Equalizer’: News from the virtual TV press tour
Updated Jan 29, 2021;
Posted Jan 28, 2021
Queen Latifah stars in a new take on “The Equalizer, which will premiere following the 2021 Super Bowl on CBS. (Photo: Barbara Nitke/CBS) CBS
Facebook Share
In ordinary times, the winter Television Critics Press Tour is an opportunity for TV journalists from across the country to gather in a Los Angeles hotel and listen to the makers of TV shows answer questions and discuss their programs.
In the coronavirus age, everything is different. Now, instead of a compressed, two-plus week period, where panels are scheduled for the length of every day, weekends included, the press tour has gone virtual. Which means people associated with shows from various networks will be turning up in Zoom sessions for the next few weeks.