'Hannibal' season 4 news update: showrunner Bryan Fuller says 'everybody involved wants to come back'
It is no secret that keeping a TV series on air is a tricky thing. Regardless of whether the material is genuinely good, if it just does not translate into ratings, chances are likely that it will be axed by the network. After all, it is still a business. Bryan Fuller is no stranger to this and understands why his underrated series, "Hannibal," ended after just three seasons.
The screenwriter looked back at the supernatural-psychological drama a year after it went on the airwaves of NBC. In a conversation with Digital Spy, Fuller got candid with how he, alongside lead actor Hugh Dancy who played Will Graham, wrote the gripping ending and whether there is still hope for a revival or not.
"The relationship that I had with Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy and crafting that world was unique for me. I had true creative partners in those actors, who made my work better," he said citing that while he is now onto another project with NBC with "Amazing Stories," he is being continuously asked about "Hannibal's" much-clamored resurrection for a fourth installment.
Earlier this year, Fuller talked about the possibility of coming back to the lore in any sort of way. And by that time, he sounded optimistic relaying that everyone from the cast is game to step back in the thriller just as long as all schedules work out. He mimics the same sentiments in this most recent conversation regarding the series, but cautions that whether NBC or any other platform will be willing to house the revival is still up in the air.
"Everybody involved wants to come back and continue telling the stories. Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to do that," Fuller spilled. "But if we don't, I'm very proud of the series as it existed on NBC and I'm very grateful to NBC for keeping us on the air for three years, despite dismal ratings."
Fuller, who recently stepped down as the showrunner and eventually severed ties with the upcoming "Star Trek: Discovery" series with CBS, continues to shower NBC with compliments adding that the network has given him enough creative freedom for "Hannibal." But in case the giant company's slate is full with no room for another season for Mikkelsen to portray the cannibalistic serial killer, there is still an abundance of streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu can possibly step in and adopt the show.