Hannibal Prequel in the Works

Wed., Jun. 13, 2001 12:00 PM PDT by Mark Armstrong

The Family Man, it ain't. But director Brett Ratner may be sinking his teeth into something a bit more horrific for his latest project.

Both the filmmaker and Anthony Hopkins are in talks to sign on for Red Dragon, a prequel to The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal based on Thomas Harris' 1981 bestseller--which first introduced readers to the maniacal lover of the other white meat, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Daily Variety reports that Ratner--whose credits also include Rush Hour and its upcoming sequel--could snag about $4 million for the film. Hopkins, meanwhile, was said to be waiting to read the script before making any commitment to once again reprise his Oscar-winning role as Lecter.

But the screenplay appears to be in able hands: Ted Tally, who won a Best Screenplay Oscar in 1992 for The Silence of the Lambs, signed on last November to adapt Harris' novel for the big screen. The film, which could go into production by year's end, will be produced by Dino and Martha De Laurentiis and released by Universal Pictures.

Red Dragon will focus on a serial killer on the loose, forcing FBI Agent Will Graham out of retirement to hunt him down. Graham originally left his job after nearly becoming a victim of Hannibal Lecter, and he must consult his old foe, now behind bars, to help him catch the killer.

If this movie sounds vaguely familiar, you've probably already seen it. Red Dragon was previously adapted for the 1986 Michael Mann-directed film Manhunter, also produced by De Laurentiis and starring William Petersen (now of CBS' C.S.I. fame) as Agent Graham and Brian Cox in a limited role as Lecter. The film grossed just $8.6 million.

If Hopkins signs on, Lecter will no doubt play a larger role in Red Dragon.

Hannibal already became a huge hit for distribution partners MGM and Universal when the film was released in February, pulling in some $165 million domestically and ending up MGM's biggest opener ever. But even before Hannibal was released, De Laurentiis had begun planning a third installment.

"The audience would like to know--once and forever--why, where and by whom Hannibal Lector was arrested," De Laurentiis told the Hollywood Reporter last November. "This new version has parts of the book never seen before."