HannibalstarMads Mikkelsenhas once again sparked hope in those who have been holding out for news of a long-awaited fourth season of the acclaimed series. Ending nearly nine years ago on August 15, 2025,Hannibal’sfan base has since been clamoring for another season, whether it be on cable television, or a streaming service. While Mikkelsen, who deliciously portrayed Hannibal Lecter in the series, indicated that nothing has been set in stone, he did give fans something to chew on in a recent interview.
Speaking withBusiness Insiderto promote his new film,The Promised Land, the conversation eventually turned toHannibal. Mikkelsen reunited with series creator Bryan Fuller for Fuller’s feature film directorial debut,Dust Bunny, and when asked if the pair had any conversations about aHannibalreunion, the star didn’t necessarily give a direct answer, but did comment, “we all want to go back.” Check out Mikkelsen’s full quote below:
“It’s no secret that all of us who were part of the cast and Bryan, we all want to go back. It’s got to happen eventually sooner than later because we’re not getting any younger, right? But the story itself can jump, it can have that gap, which is fine. So it’s all about finding a home for it, but that’s nothing concrete out there now.”
Airing on NBC from July 19, 2025, to July 31, 2025,Hannibalwas canceled by the network after just three seasons due to low viewership. However, it was not without its rabid fan base who held out hope that it might make its way to a streaming service such as Prime Video or Netflix. The move would not be without precedent, as other TV shows such asArrested Developmenthad made the jump in the past.
After talks between Fuller and Amazon broke down, and since Netflix passed on the series, it seems that since then the show has had a hard time finding a new home. Mikkelsen admits that he’s baffled as to why, considering that, after nearly nine years, people still want to see the band get back together for a fitting finale:
“Why that’s the case? I don’t know. We love the show and there seem to be a lot of other people liking it as well.”
As to where the series might go should it get picked up by a new home, Mikkelsen remains tight-lipped on any plot details, but did provide hope that thecharacters of Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham(Hugh Dancy) are still alive following their ambiguous ending in season three:
“He’s got a few ideas, Bryan. So I can’t really reveal any, in case we do start, but I’m sure they made it somehow.”
Hannibal: 10 Reasons the Horror TV Series Should Make a Return
With incredible performances from Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, Hannibal ended far too soon.
Despite Mikkelsen himself not revealing too much just in case a fourth season ofHannibaleventually gets up and running, in the past Bryan Fuller has shared his vision for a potential revival. Speaking back in 2020, Fuller revealed that it would be possible for those that have died in the seriesto be seen again. He called it a mix ofInceptionandAngel Heart, with the emphasis being placed on the obfuscating of reality:
“I think I’ve said that season four isInceptionmeetsAngel Heart. And that means that there’s going to be considerable mind-palacing and obfuscating of reality, or at least the perception of reality. And the thing that I’m most excited about is, because there’s going to be such a mental landscape to explore, that means actors who play characters who have previously died can manifest in the mess of Will Graham’s brain.”
With almost nine years having gone by since the end ofHannibal, Fuller has pointed out that his ideas for a fourth season are ripe for a time jump, which would account for the delay in production. He’s also inadvertently revealed that, despite the ending of season three,Hannibal and Will Graham are definitely alive:
“The great thing about the idea that if we are going to be meeting them [Hannibal and Will] and it takes five, six, seven years or what have you, that’s just how long they’ve been on the lam.”
Though a return toHannibalstill seems a long way off, fans of Mads Mikkelsen can currently catch him in the historical drama,The Promised Land, which details the life of Ludvig Kahlen and his rivalry with Frederik De Schinkel in 18th-century Denmark.
All three seasons ofHannibalare currently available to stream on Prime Video.
