When the beloved, gruesome, and surprisingly network TV-aired Hannibal was canceled in 2015, the news also bore the question of whether this would be one of those shows that’d be resuscitated in our new TV era where nothing ever truly dies — or at least where TV corpses can be dusted off and made into something even weirder and scarier. The show seemed ripe for the type of network-to-premium-or-streaming transition experienced (well, after 26 years) by the likes of Twin Peaks, The Mindy Project, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which went to Netflix after it was originally made for NBC. And it seemed like Bryan Fuller was aiming to make such a thing happen right from the initial news of the cancellation, when he’d tweeted “#savehannibal,” and, in a statement, slyly said “a hungry cannibal can always dine again.”
Since then, Fuller has seen the success of another unrepentantly weird, gruesome show — American Gods — but it seems like he’s very much interested in pursuing the continuation of Hannibal. As Entertainment Weekly notes, Fuller recently spoke on the Post Mortem with Mick Garris podcast about having a “great idea” in mind for Season 4 — and about having shared that idea with stars Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal Lecter) and Hugh Dancy (Will Graham). Fuller said on the Podcast:
I have conversations with [exec. producer] Martha De Laurentiis. I have conversations with Mads and Hugh. We’re are all excited about the prospect of returning to the story. There’s some hurdles to get through… [But] I just had a great idea for season 4. There’s an interesting next chapter in the relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter that would be fascinating to unpack. I’ve shared it with the gentlemen and they’re both keen on it.
Someone, please feed this cannibal a meaty fourth season.