10 Potential Storylines For An Uncertain Hannibal Season 4

NBC's Hannibal was a psychological suspense TV series starring Mads Mikkelsen as infamous psychiatrist turned cannibal Hannibal Lecter alongside Hugh Dancy as FBI profiler Will Graham. Based on the series of original novels by author Thomas Harris, the show's showrunner Bryan Fuller had active plans to continue into future seasons. With the series receiving a newfound cult following on Netflix through binge-watching, the prospect of a Hannibal season 4 is greater than ever. 

10. A Progression of Time From Season 3 Cliffhanger

In order to properly progress the Hannibal story into a new era, a time skip may be needed if and when a Hannibal series revival occurs. While the series finale left off at a crucial event, it would be quite jarring for the creators to pick up exactly where season 3 had left off without acknowledging the gap in real-time. The show's third season did previously employ a time skip in order to inset between Will's retirement from the FBI and the emergence of serial killer Francis Dolarhyde a.k.a. the Tooth Fairy. Not to mention that the main cast of characters will have aged significantly since the series' cancellation in 2015. 

9. Chilton's Revenge

Following a run-in with the Tooth Fairy / Red Dragon, Dr. Frederick Chilton was left greatly burned and disfigured. While surviving the ordeal, the pompous doctor blamed Will for his ordeal and left the series in a bitter state of mind. Each season of the series has seen Chilton faced with grim situations and come out on the other side. Dr. Chilton has remained a thorn in the side of Will and Hannibal for the show's entire run, so to see Chilton only develop into a central antagonist would not be completely out of the left field. Hannibal has already emphasized that it is not afraid to diverge from its source material if needed. 

8. The Verger Legacy Lives

The Vergers are not a family that is likely to stay down forever. While the Vergers largely remain in the background after the death of patriarch Mason, season 4 can finally take the time to spotlight the successor of Margot Verger (Katharine Isabelle) and Alanna Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas), Morgan. Margot and Alanna's separate encounters with Hannibal throughout the series have left both women a shell of their former selves. The final season ends with the two a dark pair of parents raising a son in a twisted world where it's only a matter of time before the rubs off on their son as well. Morgan raised in a world where would have to on a child's psyche, as it did  Mason. 

7. Return of Miriam Lass

A young FBI trainee joining Special Agent Jack Crawford, Miriam Lass was one of the first original victims of the Chesapeake Ripper a.k.a. Hannibal Lecter. After her disappearance, Mariam would be discovered by Jack and the FBI in the latter half of season 2. However, Miriam's capture and imprisonment at the hands of Lecter had taken a toll on both her physical and mental psyche. Though the character remained absent from season 3, Miriam remains a constant reminder to Crawford of all his past failures which would haunt him for years. Seeing Miriam go down a darker road in season 4, would only emphasize Hannibal's evil influence and continue to drive Crawford into an even deeper depression. 

6. Hannibal Lecter Back on the Run

If a new season of Hannibal picks up from the murder of Dolarhyde, Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham will likely remain fugitives from the authorities, namely the FBI. A fourth season could see Lecter leaving the U.S. once again to escape his captors. Now, Hannibal is one who remained under the radar from the FBI for well over a decade, in plain sight, so he should not have much issue keeping a low profile. Certain films have made Hannibal behind bars is an iconic image, but a talent like Mads Mikkelsen should not have to be stuck behind glass for an entire season. Season 3's Red Dragon storyline clearly showcased that Lecter can cause just as much damage behind bars as he can outside. 

5. Deep Dive into Hannibal's Past

For a show titled Hannibal, the series offers very little on Hannibal Lecter's backstory. The show would occasionally drop several clues connected to Hannibal's past life, particularly pertaining to his deceased younger sister Mischa. However, Hannibal remained fixated on Lecter's activities during the present rather than the past. If season 4 decides to turn time back rather than stick to conventional storytelling, Thomas Harris' prequel Hannibal Rising may be a useful inspiration. The novel explores Hannibal's younger days, down to his progression into cannibalism and relationship with his sister, elements that played a vital role in his path of destruction. 

4. Dr. Du Maurier's Last Stand

In one of the few season 3 cliffhangers, Hannibal's former Bedelia Du Maurier is shown alone at a table accompanied by three empty seats. The real kicker of the scene is Du Maurier's missing leg, skewed in a similar manner to Lecter's former victim the infamous killer Abel Gideon in season 2. Alongside Will, Du Maurier is one of the few characters who can reach Hannibal on an emotional level. However, the relationship between the two begins to sour as the final season began to unravel. If Du Maurier were to return for a fourth run, there is a chance that she will be pitted against Hannibal rather than at his side. 

3. A New Wave of Killers

While Hannibal Lecter was the marquee name, the show had no shortage of memorable and terrifying serial killers littered throughout the series. A character that had yet to be included in the series' roster of characters is Jame Gumb a.k.a. Buffalo Bill. Bill was introduced in 1988 as the main antagonist of Thomas Harris' classic novel The Silence of the Lambs, before being portrayed in the 1991 film adaptation by Ted Levine. An unstable man with a myriad of insecurities, Bill is a self-confessed serial killer who targets women in order to create a "woman suit" for himself. Bill's reign of terror proved so callous that the FBI turned to Hannibal Lecter once again in order to help track the killer down. 

2. Enter: Clarice Starling

The character of Miriam Lass shared loose similarities to The Silence of the Lambs protagonist FBI trainee Starling, but it's time for the real deal. Clarice (a role made famous by actress Jodie Foster) was another student studying under Crawford, before being enlisted to confer with Hannibal Lecter in the hopes of catching Buffalo Bill. While CBS has released their own Clarice series starring Rebecca Breeds as the titular heroine, the show completely omits any sign of Lecter or Bill. Before the show came to a solid conclusion, Bryan Fuller had discussed possibly casting Elliot Page in the role or even race-bending the character for the show. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling are a pair that cannot truly thrive without the other. 

1. The Downfall of Will Graham

Throughout the course of the entire series, both Hannibal and Jack Crawford are vying for the soul of Will Graham. What makes Graham the ideal criminal profiler that he is, comes down to the man's ability to think like a killer. Hannibal sees that killer instinct in Will and finds a certain liking to him that Lecter cannot stay away from. Will is no stranger to taking a life but Graham's personal support has prevented him from completely abandoning all of his morals and becoming a monster. Having Will finally abandon all of his former principles and turn would be Lecter's ultimate success and another major loss for Crawford.   

Though Hannibal had the luxury of having its storyline come to a satisfying conclusion, the show still left an awful amount of reveals and classic characters to be introduced. While the show remains on indefinite hiatus, fans will for now be left with the appetizer to the true meal.