If The Silence Of The Lambs that made the cannibal therapist a horror icon. Hopkins returned to the role twice, while the late Gaspard Ulliel played the part in 2007 prequel, Hannibal Rising.
The movie side of the franchise was waning when the Hannibal TV series arrived in 2013 and re-energized the saga. A perfectly cast Mads Mikkelsen nabbed Hannibal over candidates like David Tennant, and the show explored his complex relationship with FBI profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). Hannibal wasn't much of a ratings success and was canceled after three seasons, but it's considered one of the best horror shows of recent years and has a loyal cult audience.
At this stage in the Hannibal franchise, that are few characters that haven't already been explored, either in the movies or TV shows. One legacy character whose never been portrayed onscreen is Count Robert Lecter, Hannibal's uncle. Robert was a small part of the Hannibal Rising book, where young Hannibal seeks him and his wife Lady Murasaki out following his time in an orphanage. Robert later dies of a heart attack after confronting a butcher who insults his wife, and Hannibal avenges him soon after. The movie version of Hannibal Rising -which almost cast Hugh Dancy as Lecter - revealed Count Robert died offscreen, but for the TV series, showrunner Bryan Fuller had major plans for him, and that's why this legacy character should be revisited.
Fuller originally wanted David Bowie to play Uncle Robert on Hannibal because he felt the singer was one of the few actors whose coolness matched Mikkelsen. While Bowie expressed interest, Fuller realized following the icon's ing that he was ill when the role was being offered. It appears Fuller envisioned Count Robert Lecter as Hannibal's mentor, and the showrunner even hinted that Bedelia's famous dinner post-credit scene from season 3 may involve Hannibal's uncle. Hannibal season 3 only hinted at the title character's backstory, and introducing Count Robert as the one who introduced him to cannibalism and shaped the monster he became is compelling new territory.
Of course, it's difficult to imagine a more perfect casting as Count Robert than David Bowie, and the part would need to be played by somebody who could match up to Mads Mikkelsen. Hannibal season 4 or a spinoff movie is something "Fannibals" have been hoping for since the series ended in 2015, and given its willingness to remix the lore of the books and movies, the introduction of a legacy figure like Count Robert Lecter could open up some fresh areas.