Mads Mikkelsen Teases Hannibal Comeback—But There’s One Catch

If you have even the mildest interest in TV cult classics, you probably know that the prospect of Hannibal ever returning is the sort of thing fans bring up in comments sections as a sort of ritual. It’s been over ten years since NBC axed the show, but here we are, still talking about whether anyone will ever get another serving of fava beans and chianti. The most recent chatter? Mads Mikkelsen himself has finally put his cards on the table—and he’s got some very specific terms.

Mikkelsen Won’t Do Hannibal—Unless It’s TV

Mads Mikkelsen, never one to wax poetic for the sake of it, got straight to the point about what would bring him back to the role. While out promoting The Last Viking, Mikkelsen addressed the question that seems to follow him everywhere—would he ever play Dr Hannibal Lecter again?

His answer was blunt: he’s only interested if Bryan Fuller (the creator) does it as another series, not a one-off film.

'I think that the Hannibal that he created is a TV animal,' Mikkelsen said. 'He can persuade me to make a film, sure, but it’s only an hour and a half, and I think that his way of writing and his way of developing characters and stories are much more suitable for 13 or 14 episodes.'

And, honestly, he’s got a point. Fuller’s version of Hannibal thrived on slow-burn tension and atmosphere—exactly the sort of stuff you can’t squeeze into 90 minutes and expect it to have the same effect. You need time for the dread to properly set in.

Timing Is Not on Their Side

Of course, Mikkelsen’s attitude is a lovely bit of wishful thinking unless the stars align soon. He was quick to point out that if they’re going to do this, they can’t hang about forever.

'I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t want to go back and do it, but I also think that time is tick-tocking away. We stay as young as we can, but all of a sudden, we’re just too old, right? So, it’s going to have to be one of these years soon, and I think everybody would enjoy it.'

In other words: nobody’s getting younger, and if someone doesn’t pull the trigger soon, those sharp suits might not fit anyone anymore.

Barrier: Rights Mess & the Rest of the Gang

Everyone seems up for it, as far as the regular cast goes—Hugh Dancy (aka Will Graham) has apparently said he’d like to come back as well. The real headache is the rights to all the Thomas Harris characters. Fuller called the situation 'messy' earlier this year, saying Harris is currently trying to sort them out. Until that paperwork nightmare gets resolved, there’s not much anyone can do.

• Mads Mikkelsen: Will return as Hannibal only for a TV series, not a film
• Hugh Dancy: Keen to reprise Will Graham
• Bryan Fuller: Wants to do more, but character rights are scattered
• Obstacle: Time passing and cast ageing, plus the legal quagmire of rights ownership