Hannibal was sadly canceled after three seasons on NBC, but early on, series creator Bryan Fuller had a seven-season story arc planned out. TV history is full of great TV shows that got canceled too soon, but few in recent memory hurt as much for fans as Hannibal. Hannibal was able to take a character everyone thought they knew thanks to the movies starring Anthony Hopkins, and successfully reinvent him into an even more complex, dangerous, and oddly charming presence.
It also expanded on many of Hannibal's surrounding characters, offering new insights into people like Will Graham and Jack Crawford. Hannibal wasn't afraid to get crazy either, taking established plots from the movies and the Thomas Harris novels that inspired them and sometimes going off into entirely unexpected directions. Anyone who says they saw Will and Hannibal developing what appears to be romantic love for each other by the end of season 3 is either psychic or lying.
While "Fannibals" continue to pine for a Hannibal season 4 that may never come, it's important to remember that Fuller once envisioned a much longer, more drawn out story plan for the series. Much of what was planned did ultimately happen, but in a much more compressed time frame.
Hannibal's Original 7-Season Story Plan Explained
In June 2013, not long after Hannibal was renewed for season 2, but slightly before season 1's finale aired, creator Bryan Fuller revealed his original seven-season plan for the show. Seasons 2 and 3, like season 1, would've consisted of original material, continuing to take place prior to Hannibal's capture and the events of Red Dragon. Season 4 would've then adapted Red Dragon, with season 5 adapting its sequel book The Silence of the Lambs. Season 6 would've adapted Hannibal the book, and season seven would've been an original story that continued on from there and provided its own new ending for the cannibal killer.
Seasons 5 and on would've been especially interesting for fans, as while Fuller indeed wanted to adapt Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, complete with Clarice Starling, Will Graham would've remained a major part of the story as well. Seeing Will and Clarice interact, and possibly form some kind of twisted triangle with Hannibal could've been amazing. Unfortunately, Hannibal's producers couldn't get the rights to adapt Silence, or use Clarice. This threw a monkey wrench into the works, leading the show to adapt elements of Red Dragon, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising at a much quicker clip. For what it's worth though, Fuller stated after season 2 that he had already shortened his plan to six seasons, so it's possible things would've been changed either way.