Fans of Silence of the Lambs got a huge treat when Hannibal made its way to network television, showing fans the evil cannibalistic doctor years before he appeared in the movies.
Now, CBS is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time with the upcoming series, Clarice.
As evident by the name, this is not about the serial killer but about the agent that went to him for help taking down the mass murderer Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.
Here is everything we know so far about Clarice Season 1.
This article provides everything that is known about Clarice Season 1 and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s dig down into what is known so far.
What is Season 1 of Clarice about?
The good news is that CBS is hoping to have another big hit similar to Hannibal with the new series about FBI Agent Clarice Starling. The bad news is that they don’t have Bryan Fuller making the show, and he was clearly the reason that Hannibal was so brilliant.
The new series has a pair of heavyweights as executive producers in Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. Kurtzman is one of the men behind the new generation of Star Trek movies, while Lumet is the daughter of legendary filmmaker Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Network).
Kurtzman and Lumet co-wrote the pilot.
The showrunner for Clarice is Elizabeth Klaviter. She previously worked on The Resident, Grey’s Anatomy, and Private Practice. She worked as the co-executive producer on Grey’s Anatomy and was an executive producer on The Resident.
“Jenny and I feel so fortunate to be working with Elizabeth Klaviter as our partner on Clarice,” Kurtzman said. “Her extraordinary body of work, her wit and her unique perspective will be invaluable in making this show as singular as our title character.”
Unlike Hannibal, the CBS series Clarice will take place after the events of Silence of the Lambs.
Here is the official synopsis:
“Clarice is a deep dive into the untold personal story of FBI Agent Clarice Starling as she returns to the field in 1993, six months after the events of The Silence of the Lambs.
“Brilliant and vulnerable, Clarice’s bravery gives her an inner light that draws monsters and madmen to her.
“However, her complex psychological makeup that comes from a challenging childhood empowers her to begin to find her voice while working in a man’s world, as well as escape the family secrets that have haunted her throughout her life.”
There are also rumors that Hannibal might get a new season through a streaming service, but it will remain a prequel series and not connect with Clarice.
Clarice Season 1 cast updates
Rebecca Breeds will play Clarice Starling in the new CBS series.
Breeds had recurring roles on The Originals at The CW and Freeform’s Pretty Little Liars. Her credits also include CBS’ The Code.
In the movies, Jodie Foster played Clarice in Silence of the Lambs, and Julianne Moore replaced her in the movie Hannibal. Foster won an Academy Award for Best Lead Actress for her role as Clarice Starling.
“After more than 20 years of silence, we’re privileged to give voice to one of America’s most enduring heroes — Clarice Starling,” Kurtzman and Lumet said in announcing Clarice in January.
“Clarice’s bravery and complexity have always lit the way, even as her personal story remained in the dark. But hers is the very story we need today: her struggle, her resilience, her victory. Her time is now, and always.”
Joining Breeds in the CBS series is Kal Penn (Designated Survivor, House), Nick Sandow (Orange is the New Black), Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), Lucca De Oliveira (The Punisher), and Devyn Tyler (The Purge).
Kal Penn plays Emin Grigoryan, an agent with “expertise in all things archival — from insects, to ancient manuscripts, to missing children. Grigoryan makes the driest patterns of forensic evidence feel like they came from Dante.”
Michael Cudlitz plays Paul Krendler, the leader of the VICAP Fly Team. He is a gifted investigator for the Department of Justice, with solid legal skills.
Nick Sandow plays Murray Clarke, Clarice’s chief hazer.
In November, Clarice added five more actors to the cast.
Marnee Carpenter (Criminal Minds, Good Girls) plays a character Silence of the Lambs fans have already know. She is the woman Clarice saved from Buffalo Bill’s basement in the film.
Catherine Martin (played by Brooke Smith) was the daughter of U.S. Senator Ruth Martin. Most fans remember the “put the lotion on the skin or get the hose again” scene.
Jayne Atkinson (Criminal Minds, House of Cards) plays Ruth Martin, the former U.S. Senator from Silence of the Lambs and new Attorney General.
Shawn Doyle (The Comey Rule, The Expanse) signed on as Clarice’s therapist at Quantico.
Finally, Tim Guinee (Homeland, Elementary) was cast as Novak, the leader of a secessionist militia group.
Release date latest: When does Clarice Season 1 come out?
Clarice was one of only two shows that CBS ordered straight to series, alongside another based on a movie franchise in The Equalizer.
However, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, both of those shows ended up delayed. Despite the pilot being unfinished, CBS liked what they saw so far and ordered it for the 2020-21 season.
Clarice Season 1 premieres on CBS on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at 10/9c.
Clarice Season 1 trailer
The trailer for Clarice Season 1 arrived on Dec. 8.
Here are the trailers for both Silence of the Lambs (with Jodie Foster) and Hannibal (with Julianne Moore) as FBI Agent Clarice Starling.
Clarice Season 1 premieres on CBS on Thursday, February 11, 2021, at 10/9c.