How Red Dragon fits into the Silence of the Lambs timeline

It’s technically the third film in the franchise, as is Hannibal Lecter’s outing Red Dragon Fit into the series timeline? Despite the huge success of The silence of the lambs – including winning Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress – had there been no sequels. Production on any follow-up was delayed until author Thomas Harris completed his sequel novel, Hannibal. Harris is famously not the most prolific of writers (having written six novels in total since his 1975 debut Black Sunday), which means it took nearly a decade for Hannibal to come

It was also something of a polarizing novel, with Jodie Foster even turning it down Hannibal Movie. At least, it convinced Anthony Hopkins to return to the role of Lecter, with the actor is a hammy joy. After years of waiting, the sequel reinvigorated the series, with two more movies following soon after. Hopkins’ last appearance in the role was in 2002 Red DragonWhat – due to the Hannibal The convoluted production history of the film franchise – does not follow Hannibal Events.

Red Dragon is a prequel to Silence of the Lambs (and Hannibal)

The movie explores Hannibal’s relationship with Will Graham

Red Dragon is a prequel to both Silence of the lambs And Hannibal. The film is actually the second adaptation of Harris’ Red Dragon novel, which was previously made into a Michael Mann thriller called Manhunter In 1986. That film has no connections to Silence of the lambsHowever. Red Dragon Opens in 1980 when Edward Norton’s FBI agent Will Graham discovers the famous psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter is a cannibalistic serial killer. After a brutal fight, Lecter is arrested and imprisoned, and the story jumps to 1986.

The silence of the lambs It is set in 1990, where Lecter helps FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Foster) catch serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Hannibal Set a decade later, in 2000, when Lecter and Starling (played this time by Julianne Moore) cross paths again. Anthony Hopkins is the connection between the three movies. Although he is not the only actor to play Hannibal Lecter, he is the only one to do so in multiple movies.

Red Dragon leads right into Silence of the Lambs

The end of the movie leads directly into the silence of the lambs

It is not the most seamless of connections, but the end of Red Dragon Leads directly into Silence of the lambs. After Will and his family survive a recent attack by the Tooth Fairy (Ralph Fiennes), Graham reads a letter from Lecter wishing him well after recovering from his injuries. In the final scene, Sanitarium Director Chilton tells Hannibal that a young FBI agent (Clarice) wants to talk to him.Mit Lecter asked her name.

This is an obvious result Silence of the lambsAlthough given the timeline, this suggests that Hannibal wrote his letter to Will four years after the events of Red Dragon.

The Hannibal Franchise Timeline, Explained

Four actors have played Hannibal Lecter in various projects

With three movies starring Anthony Hopkins Hannibal trilogy, the timeline is already confused with the third movie being a prequel. However, this is only the beginning of the complications regarding the overall Hannibal Lecter franchise, which goes back before that The silence of the lambs and Hopkins. 1986s Manhunter was an adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel Red Dragon And closely follows the same story presented in the 2002 version. However, before Hopkins won an Oscar for playing Hannibal, Brian Cox played the role in Michael Mann’s movie. Manhunter Takes place on its own timeline with no further sequels.

Hannibal franchise in chronological order:

yet Red DragonIt was Another prequel in the franchise developed with Hannibal Rising in 2007. The movie is set in 1944 and explores the origin story of young Hannibal Lecter as he develops his murderous tendencies while hunting down the Nazis who killed his family years earlier. Gaspard Ulliel takes on the role of Hannibal in the movie, although there is no direct tie to Hopkins’ trilogy beyond the main character.

To add to the confusion of the timeline, there were also two television series connected to the character of Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal Premiere in 2013 and starring Mads Mikkelsen in the title role. Despite taking place in modern times, the series actually tells the story of ​​the beginning of Hannibal’s relationship with Will Graham before he was discovered to be a serial killer. In the sense of the character’s timeline, it takes place just before the events of Red DragonHowever, the modern setting makes it clear that it has no ties to any of the movies.

The series ClariceWhich premiered in 2021is a controversial addition to the Hannibal Franchise like Hannibal Lecter is only mentioned and not actually featured. The show takes place after the events of The silence of the lambs and follows Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) in her career as an FBI agent. The show only lasted one season with many fans expressing disappointment over the tangential ties to the rest of the franchise.