Unveiling the Untold Depths: Discover the Thrilling Secret Behind Hannibal's Enigmatic Backstory

Mads Mikkelsen has revealed why the Hannibal TV show chose not to delve into the backstory of the iconic killer. In an interview with GQ, Mikkelsen discussed how the creative team made a conscious decision to differentiate his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter by focusing on the origins of his relationship with FBI profiler Will Graham, rather than exploring their pasts. The actor believed that delving into the backstory would have made the show predictable and uninteresting. Check out Mikkelsen's explanation in the video and quotes starting at the 8:35 mark below.

We didn't want him to exhibit typical psychopathic traits. If that were the case, then we would delve into his past to uncover what led him to this point — "Oh, there was something there." It would've been an ordinary story with a straightforward resolution, but we weren't interested in understanding his journey. Rather, we envisioned him as someone who possessed emotions and empathy. Unlike the show's protagonist, Will Graham, who wrestles with uncontrollable empathy, Hannibal expertly wields it at his discretion. They represent a yin-yang dynamic, which was the central concept of the show. It was inevitable that something would eventually transpire, and indeed it did.

How Hannibal Avoided The Movies' Biggest Failure

Hannibal Rising, published in 2006, delves into the origins of Lecter. It takes us on a journey from his initial role as a Nazi hunter seeking vengeance for the deaths of his parents and sister during World War II, to the chilling transformation into the notorious cannibalistic serial killer for which he would ultimately become infamous. At the time of its release, it was not widely known that the author, Thomas Harris, had been compelled by movie producer Dino De Laurentiis to write the novel. De Laurentiis had exerted pressure to ensure that Harris did not lose creative control over the character he had created.

Hannibal Rising, which was written by Harris under pressure, received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, and the subsequent movie adaptation, which Harris wrote the script for, was heavily criticized. As Mikkelsen points out, the decision to delve into Hannibal's backstory lacked originality, replacing the original novels' deep psychological themes with a mere emotional motivation for his killings. This approach reduces Lecter's legacy to worn-out horror clichés, placing him closer to characters like Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees rather than the elevated horror he was initially known for.

On the other hand, Hannibal season 3 took a much better approach in adapting elements of Hannibal Rising, particularly Lecter's backstory. It kept many details vague, only confirming the fate of his sister, but even that was left unclear as to whether it happened in the same way as in the prequel novel and movie. By restoring the character's mystique without retconning the source material entirely, creator Bryan Fuller proved himself to be one of the more talented visionaries in adapting Harris' novels.

Source: GQ