Hannibal is no longer on Netflix, but fans have other options to stream the psychological horror series. Created by Bryan Fuller and starring Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Hugh Dancy as Will Graham, Hannibal premiered in 2013 and ran for three seasons on NBC, to wide critical acclaim and adoring audiences. Fuller's series was a loose adaptation of Thomas Harris' novels, specifically Red Dragon, though much of the first two seasons consisted of as original material as Fuller made the characters his own. NBC canceled Hannibal due to low ratings but the series went on to find new popularity on Netflix.
Hannibal debuted on Netflix on June 5, 2020, where it quickly garnered an appreciative new audience. Hannibal already accumulated a loyal cult following during its NBC run and the fans campaigned for the show to continue. When Hannibal became a hit on Netflix, hopes for a season 4 were revived, with the dream being that Bryan Fuller could continue his plan to adapt The Silence of the Lambs and then deliver an original ending to the entire saga. Fuller's version of Hannibal deviated significantly from the novels; he originally had a seven-season plan for the series, including adapting the novels Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, although he incorporated elements of both and Red Dragon into seasons 2 and 3. As it is, Hannibal stands as an unfinished masterpiece that fans rank among the best horror TV series ever.
Unfortunately, Hannibal is no longer available on Netflix in the United States and Canada, after exactly one year – the streaming giant had only a 12-month license to stream the show. However, all three seasons of Hannibal are streaming on Hulu and the service looks to be retaining the rights to the series. For fans without Hulu, all is not entirely lost in regards to Netflix. Sony controls the licensing to Hannibal and the studio has a positive relationship with Netflix, especially after the new deal Sony signed wherein Netflix streams Sony films after their theatrical runs, so it's very possible Hannibal will return to Netflix in the future.
There may be other possible streaming options that arise in the future, such as Hannibal streaming on Peacock at some point. After all, Hannibal was originally an NBC show and most content from that network is being made available on Peacock, so Hannibal could eventually "come home" to NBC's own streaming service. However, since Sony does own the rights to Hannibal, there could be a bidding war for the series and it may go to whoever pays the highest licensing fee (which could include Netflix). Of course, there's always the option to purchase or rent the series, which is currently possible through Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu, as well as stores that sell physical copies of DVD/Blu-ray.
Meanwhile, along with the current option of Hulu, fans of the greater Hannibal universe may also want to check out Clarice, which is available to stream on the CBS website and Paramount+. Clarice is a sequel to The Silence of the Lambs and it centers on what happened to FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling (played by Rebecca Breeds) after her encounter with Hannibal Lecter. Clarice is set in a different universe, and the complicated legal rights to Hannibal's characters mean Dr. Lecter won't appear in CBS' spinoff, but Clarice provides an interesting alternate take on the aftermath of The Silence of the Lambs. Furthermore, the original Silence of the Lambs, and its sequel film Hannibal, and prequel Red Dragon, are all available to rent in the usual places, with the latter also streaming on HBO Max, giving Hannibal fans plenty of ways to enjoy the stories told surrounding the iconic character Hannibal Lecter.