Hannibal Chews Up Competition

It was blood-free smiles all round last night as news filtered through that Hannibal has devoured box-office records in North America. But amid the self-congratulation at the press conference at the Berlin Film Festival, where the film is in competition, came the news that producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis, star Anthony Hopkins and director Ridley Scott may well be gearing up to make a second sequel in what is rapidly becoming one of the most lucrative film franchises in history. Not to be confused with Dino's recently-announced plans to re-adapt Hannibal novelist Thomas Harris' first effort, Red Dragon (which De Laurentiis originally made with Michael Mann into Manhunter back in 1986), the flambouyant Italian producer hinted that he would like to pick up the adventures of Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter where Ridley Scott's sequel to The Silence of the Lambs leaves off. "We are thinking about doing yet another sequel, a sequel to this film - to Hannibal - which means that Hannibal Lecter will be going towards Asia, perhaps Japan, I don't know," said Dino. "We don't know how it's going to continue. We don't want to prematurely tell you what events will happen." No mention was made of Harris' input into the proposed project (if any), but Hopkins made it clear that he would be interested in reprising his Oscar-winning man-eater. "I would like to do one more, which is being discussed with Dino, and Martha and Ridley, and hopefully that will be fairly soon - maybe next year." Whether he was simply referring to a cameo appearance in Dino's Red Dragon remake (in which Lecter's backstory is fleshed out), or work on a full-blown third outing for Hannibal was not clear. As for the figures, though, the team were only too happy to clarify any confusion. Co-producer Martha De Laurentiis announced: "As you may know, we opened the picture in America this past Friday...the Friday breakdown was $19, 450,000 to box-office, Saturday was $22, 550,000, that's about six million admissions... Audience reaction is sensational. They love Hannibal. He is the most popular man in America."