Bryan Fuller has opened up about his vision for a revival of NBC’s Hannibal. In a new interview, the series creator revealed his dream project. He wants Zendaya to take on the role of Clarice Starling. Fuller also shared that the idea would bring back Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal Lecter in a limited series adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs.
Bryan Fuller wants Zendaya to play Clarice opposite Mads Mikkelsen’s Hannibal
In an interview with ScreenRant at TIFF while promoting his film Dust Bunny, Bryan Fuller revealed, “My dream project is to do a limited series of Silence of the Lambs with Mads and Zendaya as Clarice Starling. If I could put anything out into the universe, I would put that into the universe.”
Hannibal, which ran from 2013 to 2015, was based on Thomas Harris’ novels including Red Dragon (1981), Hannibal (1999), and Hannibal Rising (2006). The books introduced Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, two of the most recognized characters in modern literature and film.
Clarice never appeared in Fuller’s Hannibal series. She has, however, been portrayed on screen by Jodie Foster in Jonathan Demme’s 1991 adaptation, a role that earned her an Academy Award. Julianne Moore later played the character in Hannibal (2001), and Rebecca Breeds took on the role in the CBS series, Clarice (2021).
Fuller explained that his vision would reunite Mikkelsen, who portrayed Lecter in Hannibal, with the franchise. He wants to pair Mikkelsen’s Hannibal with Zendaya’s version of Clarice. Mikkelsen’s performance became a fan favorite and stood apart from Anthony Hopkins’ Oscar-winning portrayal in The Silence of the Lambs.
The original 1991 film earned major recognition at the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, Best Actress for Jodie Foster, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Zendaya, meanwhile, has a packed 2026 schedule that includes Euphoria season 3, Dune: Part Three, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Fuller recently made his feature film debut with Dust Bunny, which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.
