YOUNG HANNIBAL CHRONICLES Begins Production

[AndyDursin]

Before anyone says "why??" -- box-office receipts are clearly the reason.

I myself have zero interest in this. HANNIBAL was one of the most repellent, needless films I've ever sat through (still can't forgive Ridley Scott for cashing the check on that one). RED DRAGON was formula and completely dull, a watered-down version of Michael Mann's vastly superior "Manhunter."

Sounds like this is being partially made on the cheap, given its Prague locales, relatively obscure cast, and being co-produced by a Czech company AND Tarak Ben Ammar.

I assume Hopkins will show up to cash his check in a cameo?

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http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/050912e.php

Dino and Martha De Laurentiis are set to unite once again with Tarak Ben Ammar of Quinta Communications and British co-producers Chris Curling and Phil Robertson of Zephyr Films, to produce the highly anticipated BEHIND THE MASK: Young Hannibal. Petr Moravec of Czech production company, Etic Films, will also join the fold for their first collaboration together. Best selling novelist Thomas Harris, who created and authored the world shattering series, has also written the screenplay, based on his highly anticipated upcoming novel, BEHIND THE MASK.

This prequel follows the young Hannibal Lecter from his childhood in Lithuania to his teenage years in France and up to his time in America. 20-year old French actor, Gaspard Ulliel (A Very Long Engagement, Brotherhood of the Wolf) has been chosen to play the coveted role of the young Hannibal, the character brought to life by Anthony Hopkins with some of the most quoted and juicy lines in film history. Award-winning Chinese actress Gong Li will play Lady Murasaki, the woman who takes in the young Hannibal after his escape from an orphanage and unwittingly becomes the pawn in a revenge plot by Hannibal. Gong Li will next be seen in Memoirs of a Geisha for director Rob Marshall and is currently in production on Miami Vice directed by Michael Mann and co-starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.

Completing the principal cast line-up is Rhys Ifans (Chromophobia, Vanity Fair, The Shipping News), Richard Brake (Batman Begins, Cold Mountain) and Kevin McKidd (Kingdom of Heaven, De-Lovely). Principal photography will begin on October 10th, 2005 in Prague. At the helm of this long awaited look at the heart and soul of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, will be British director and BAFTA nominee Peter Webber (Girl With A Pearl Earring, Men Only). BEHIND THE MASK: Young Hannibal will bring the most irresistible and articulate villain of our time back to the big screen. Audiences will finally be introduced to the atrocities encountered in young Hannibal Lecter's life that honed his particular appetite for evil.

Dino and Martha De Laurentiis first brought the complex character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter to life in 1985's Manhunter, based on Harris' psychological thrillers. De Laurentiis has since built one of the most unique franchises in movie history, with Lecter becoming the most infamous villain of our time. His creativity has garnered universal appeal sending international box-office figures soaring over the years with Hannibal ($351M+) and Red Dragon ($200M+). Silence of the Lambs, albeit not a De Laurentiis production, took an impressive $270M+ at the box office and won many Oscars.

[Eric W.]

I think this is ridiculous.

[Carlson2005]

I wouldn't say the cast is obscure internationally, but there's certainly no-one in the million dollar club aside from Hopkins - probably because the last two films took large sums of money but didn't make much profit because of the star cast salaries. Since the last two films are basically just schlockers, Dino's obviously figured that Hannibal's enough of a name to con the public out of more of its hard-earned cash with.

Still, look on the bright side - no Brett RFatner this time.

[AndyDursin]

I wouldn't say the cast is obscure internationally

Gong Li? The guy from A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT? (did anyone even see that movie outside of France?). I'd say they're a long way off from the casts of the other flicks.

But absolutely you're right -- with all the deals in place on HANNIBAL did they make much money on it after all was said and done? Same on RED DRAGON.

And no Ratt-ass is a definite good thing, too!

[Carlson2005]

Ah, that famed American insularity. Engagement was a big hit everywhere but the English-speaking world, while Cong Li is pretty much Asia's Julia Roberts (although with the added advantage of being able to act a bit).

[mkaroly]

Disliked HANNIBAL and disliked RED DRAGON- I thought MANHUNTER was much more creepy and well done. SILENCE rules- nothing can beat the cellar scene. I doubt I'll be watching this series.

[AndyDursin]

Ah, that famed American insularity. Engagement was a big hit everywhere but the English-speaking world, while Cong Li is pretty much Asia's Julia Roberts (although with the added advantage of being able to act a bit).

Like I said, obscure!

Just kidding. But the bottom line is these actors aren't going to draw anyone in on their names in this market (where HANNIBAL still made an obscene, inexplicable amount of money), so it reinforces the notion that Dino is "scaling back" by utilizing "international" talent.

[AndyDursin]

Disliked HANNIBAL and disliked RED DRAGON- I thought MANHUNTER was much more creepy and well done. SILENCE rules- nothing can beat the cellar scene. I doubt I'll be watching this series.

It's funny -- they're both bad but for totally different reasons. HANNIBAL had some style but was completely repellent and pointless. RED DRAGON wasn't nearly as excessive, but it was formulaic, boring, and lacked any style whatsoever. You go back and watch "Manhunter", and you can see the difference between a genuine "auteur" like Michael Mann and a guy like Brett Ratner...and the less said the better on the latter.

[MarkB]

One of the reasons I disliked HANNIBAL the novel was that it tried to "humanize" Lector by showing what turned him into this monster. By taking away that mystery, the character lost some of his unnatural creepiness. I can't say that I'm looking forward to this new movie or novel if it continues in that direction.

BTW, HANNIBAL the movie was a big improvement on the novel, IMHO. But, as Andy said, it still remained a pointless exercise.

FWIW, Gaspard Ulliel was wonderful as the boyishly handsome and naive young man whose innocence and sanity are destroyed by war in A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT. (Great movie, too.) I will admit that he is an interesting choice to play the young version of such a heinous villian.

Mark