Silence of the Lambs Spinoff Series Clarice Adds Criminal Minds Stars and More

The upcoming CBS TV series Clarice will explore the famous Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs and her journey following the events of that iconic narrative, with Deadline confirming that the show has added Marnee Carpenter (Criminal Minds, Good Girls) as a series lead, opposite Rebecca Breeds as the titular character. The series has also added Jayne Atkinson (Criminal Minds, House of Cards), Shawn Doyle (The Comey Rule, The Expanse), and Tim Guinee (Homeland, Elementary) in recurring/guest roles. The new series is set to be a midseason program, though details about when it could release have been officially unveiled.

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 (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.

The outlet notes that Carpenter will play Catherine Martin, who was saved from Buffalo Bill's basement by Clarice. The character was previously played by Brooke Smith in the 1991 film. Deadline describes the rest of the new cast members, "Atkinson portrays Ruth Martin, the newly appointed attorney general and Catherine's mother. Doyle plays Clarice's therapist at Quantico, and Guinee plays Novak, the leader of a secessionist militia group."

Elizabeth Klaviter will serve as the series' showrunner, with Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet serving 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.

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

Stay tuned for details on Clarice.

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