Silence of the Lambs Sequel TV Series Clarice Scores Showrunner

CBS confirmed earlier this month that the Silence of the Lambs sequel TV series, Clarice, was picked up for a full season, with The Resident executive producer Elizabeth Klaviter having been announced as the series’ showrunner, per Deadline. Klaviter has also previously worked on TV series like Grey’s Anatomy and spinoff Private Practice. Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet serve as executive producers on the series and will continue to contribute in a hands-on role with the debut season, having previously scripted the pilot. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pilot for the series was never produced, resulting in Clarice earning a straight-to-series order from the network.

Clarice is set in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs. The series is a deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds), as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high stakes political world of Washington, D.C. Brilliant and vulnerable, Clarice graduated Magna from UVA with a double major in Psych and Criminology. Her bravery gives her an inner light that draws monsters and madmen to her. Her complex psychological makeup comes from a challenging childhood, and her drive comes from her need to escape the burden of family secrets that have haunted her throughout her life.

“Jenny and I feel so fortunate to be working with Elizabeth Klaviter as our partner on Clarice,” Kurtzman shared in a statement. “Her extraordinary body of work, her wit, and her unique perspective will be invaluable in making this show as singular as our title character.”

Jodie Foster debuted as Clarice in 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs, a role which earned her the Best Actress Oscar. In the film’s 2001 sequel Hannibal, Julianne Moore took over the role. While Clarice is an iconic character, arguably even more well-known of a character from the franchise is Hannibal Lecter.

The villain made his on-screen debut in 1986’s Manhunter, as played by Brian Cox. Anthony Hopkins offered his own take on the character in Silence of the Lambs, in which he played a more central role, and scored an Oscar for his performance. He reprised the role for Hannibal and Red Dragon, while Mads Mikkelsen took on the role for the Hannibal TV series. It is unknown if fans should expect to see Lecter in the new TV series.

Stay tuned for details on Clarice, which is expected to debut this fall.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!