Earlier this year it was announced that CBS had put in a series order for a new The Silence of the Lambs spin-off TV show. At the time, the project was shrouded in mystery – all fans knew was that the series would be called Clarice and that it would follow FBI Agent Clarice Starling (who was played Jodie Foster in the original 1991 film) six months after her initial run-in with Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
Recently, however, a trailer for Clarice was released and it has left fans confused. Set in 1993, the show will seemingly bridge the gap between The Silence of the Lambs and its 2001 film sequel Hannibal, examining Starling’s growth from rookie to seasoned agent. Fans are unsure how the series will fit in the "Hannibal Timeline," as it would mean Dr. Lecter himself (the biggest draw for such a show) would be unable to appear in Clarice. In essence, many followers have labeled this choice of spin-off as ‘weird.’
Nevertheless, ‘weird’ is something that fans of Silence of the Lambs have become accustomed to over the decades. In comparison to other established franchises, there have been numerous spin-offs and sequels to the 1991 film that could be considered questionable or downright weird. Here some of those strange franchise highlights.
Hannibal (2013-15)
Possibly the most well-known and most beloved spin-off of the ‘Hannibal’ franchise, the Hannibal TV series ran on NBC from 2013-15. Developed by Bryan Fuller (who has since produced American Gods and Star Trek: Discovery), the show took a liberal approach to the source material. Indeed, the first two seasons veritably ‘retconned’ the established lore, providing a new history for the titular character and his relationship with FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy).
Starring Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Lecter, Hannibal ran for three seasons before being unceremoniously canceled by the network, much to fans’ dismay. In fact, over the last five years, there has been an ongoing campaign to get the show renewed in some format, whether with a concluding film or a sequel series on a platform like Netflix. Unfortunately, so far, nothing has been confirmed.
Hannibal Rising (2007)
The origin story few were asking for, Hannibal Rising is a 2007 prequel film that attempts to provide Dr. Lecter a justifiable psychological backstory. Set in Lithuania during the Second World War, the film follows eight-year-old Hannibal (initially played by Aaran Thomas) as he is forced by Nazis to begin his cannibalistic ways.
Understandably, the film was a flop, both commercially and critically. Barely making back its $50m budget and garnering a disappointing 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was so bad it was even nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards (‘Worst Prequel or Sequel’ and ‘Worst Excuse for a Horror Movie’). On a positive note, however, the response to the film was so awful, it’s been widely credited with persuading rights holders to allow the 2013 TV series, so perhaps Hannibal Rising wasn’t all bad.
Silence! The Musical (2005)
The weird Hannibal installments aren’t confined to just the screen: the stage has also had its fair share of strange spin-offs. Just take 2005’s ‘spoof musical’, Silence! The Musical. Written by Jon and Al Kaplan, this stage production is a tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the classic 1991 film, offering laughs in a similar vein to the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Featuring referential songs like "If I Could Smell Her C***" and "Put the F***ing Lotion in the Basket," Silence! has become a mainstay of fringe theatre, being performed everywhere from the New York International Fringe Festival to even London’s West-End. Moreover, the response to this spin-off was so warm that Time magazine even named it one of the top plays of 2011.
Clarice Probes Hannibal Lecter About Trump's Russia Ties (2017)
Less spin-off and more parody (and definitely not part of the official timeline), Clarice Probes Hannibal Lecter About Trump's Russia Ties was a skit performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2017, during the peak of Robert Mueller’s investigation. Featuring Jodie Foster reprising her role as Clarice Starling (26 years after the character’s debut) and Stephen Colbert as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the short segment pokes fun at both the 1991 film and the political landscape in America.
Much like how Starling originally approached Lecter for information about Buffalo Bill, here she approaches this parody version of him for information about Russia. The skit lovingly references the 1991 film with lines like “you’re wearing perfume” and “you know I eat people, right? It’s kind of my thing,” while also offering a questionable Anthony Hopkins impression from Colbert.