Hannibal Creates Its Own Mythology

Dr. Hannibal Lecter first appeared in Thomas Harris' 1981 novel Red Dragon as a supporting but pivotal character, consulting with FBI profiler Will Graham from behind bars in the hunt for the "Tooth Fairy." He is described as "a sociopath, for lack of a better word," a figure whose intellect and sophistication conceal the monster within.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) made "Hannibal the Cannibal" a fixture in moviegoers' minds, driven by Anthony Hopkins' Academy Award-winning portrayal. In 2011 NBC approached Bryan Fuller about a pilot script; that script turned into Hannibal, now regarded as one of the all-time greatest TV horror series.

Hannibal creates its own mythology from the start. In Red Dragon, Lecter is already incarcerated, having been arrested by Graham earlier, and is forced to work with him to catch a new serial killer — a traumatic experience that Lecter later revives by playing manipulative mind games with Graham.

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