The name Hannibal Lecter sends a chill down my spine, every time I hear it, but I know I can’t resist watching him in action. Both Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen own this rather devious and unsympathetic character in their ways. If you’re asking which one is better, discussing it would be blasphemy!
The films (adapted from the books) and the show are truly a work of genius and in fact is so disturbing it’s good. After all, one of the bloodiest villains (maybe maybe anti-hero) literally, we’ve known should get a story that’s worth everything he embodies (it’s mostly others’ bodies.)
There’s so much more to say about the franchise, but I’d rather you watch it without getting any spoilers. Let’s discuss the release order and watch order of both the films and the show around this enigmatic character we all know as Hannibal Lecter.
The Hannibal franchise includes the show and a series of films inspired by the books. The show is essentially a prequel to the films and has a linear timeline. The films have a timeline different from the release order, just like the books and only 3 out of the 5 films has Anthony Hopkins portraying the titular character.
Alright, let’s jump in.
1. Release Order
The release order will have 5 films and 1 show around Hannibal. The films will not feel like a series, since they’ve been directed by different people and also has different people portraying the character. In totality there are four different actors who play the role of Hannibal Lecter.
To me Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen are by far the best and there’s no debate about it. So while watching the films in their release order you’ll actually get to see different takes on the same character, which doesn’t seem that bad an idea. Here’s the order:
- Manhunter (1986)
- The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
- Hannibal (2001)
- Red Dragon (2002)
- Hannibal Rising (2007)
- Hannibal | TV Series (2013 – 2015)
- Clarice (Upcoming Series)
The series was supposed to run for seven entire seasons but was cancelled after three insanely awesome seasons because of low viewership. I know right, the world doesn’t deserve good shows and actors like Mads Mikkelsen. To be honest there should just be a separate article on Mads Mikkelsen’s portrayal, because he was nearly perfect.
2. Chronological Order
Now remember, since the films have different people portraying the character you might face continuity issues and moreover, you can actually watch them as standalone films. Here’s the order though.
- Hannibal Rising
- Hannibal | TV Series
- Manhunter
- Red Dragon
- The Silence Of The Lambs
- Hannibal
I haven’t included the show Clarice here, since we don’t know what timeline exactly it fits under. However, it is pretty clear that the show is going to be set in a time after Clarice crosses paths with Hannibal Lecter.
Now this is the order in terms of the timeline but it’s not the best order to experience the best of this franchise. Here’s why:
- Hannibal Rising wasn’t the best prequel. Not even the book was and writer Thomas Harris has admitted to this himself. So starting off a great franchise with a sub-par film is not a good option.
- You will definitely see a lack of continuity because though the timelines are clear, the tone, the portrayal is different. So it feels like watching different takes on the same film. While I’m all in for it, I’d first like to watch the best and then go for alternatives.
So here’s a watch order that I’d recommend and so would many other fans of the show.
3. Recommended Order
- The Silence Of The Lambs
- Hannibal
- Red Dragon
- Hannibal | TV Series
3.1. Optional Films With Alternate Takes On Hannibal Lecter
- Manhunter
- Hannibal Rising
I think this order is perhaps the best way to watch the franchise. You start with the best or the cult classic, watch two subsequent films where the character unfolds, and then move on to the series which are a prequel to the film’s storyline. At least the first season is. Here you get a different, yet impeccable take on the same character.
I keep the remaining two films as optional because I don’t want the franchise to disappoint you in any way. People always wonder what if there was no Season 8 to Game Of Thrones. Well, these two films might give you that feeling since, they’re okay as standalone films but in comparison to the others, they fall too short. Moreover, you can watch them separately.
4. Where To Watch The Franchise (Show And Films)
No streaming platform has all the films. However, you can rent it all from Amazon Prime. The show on the other hand is available to stream on Hulu.
5. Run-Time And Binge Duration
The films run upto approximately 10 hours 30 minutes. The show on the other hand has 3 seasons with 10 episodes in the first season and 13 episodes in the subsequent two seasons. Each episode runs for about 44 minutes making the complete series run-time to approximately 26 hours 30 minutes.
So you’ll be able to binge in the entire franchise in about 37 hours if you go non-stop which obviously you won’t but you can use the time of credits, intro and outro for your pee breaks. But I guess the biggest challenge would be eating your own meal while watching Hannibal have his.
On a side note I really like how we all turn into calculators while thinking of run-times for anything we want to binge and then it’s a race of who finishes first amongst our friends. After all, sleep is for the weak, isn’t it?
6. Conclusion
Out of all the orders I would recommend you to go with the recommended order. I mean it’s called a recommended order for a reason. Just a disclaimer though, if you have any cannibalistic fantasies after the binge, we won’t be responsible for them. So watch them at a safe pace.
7. About Hannibal Lecter Franchise
The Hannibal Lecter franchise is an American media franchise based around the titular character, Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant, cannibalistic serial killer whose assistance is routinely sought out by law enforcement personnel to aid in the capture of other criminals. He originally appeared in a series of novels (starting with Red Dragon in 1981) by Thomas Harris. The series has since expanded into film and television.
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