In which order to watch Hannibal? List of 5 films

The saga Hannibal Lecter, based on the novels by Thomas Harris, account 5 movies released between 1986 and 2007.

To watch them in the right order, you have two options: the’chronological order of the character's life, or the’cinema release order.

If this is your first time, start by The Silence of the Lambs : That's the best place to start.

How to watch the 5 Hannibal Lecter films?

1. In the chronological order of the story

This order follows the The Life of Hannibal Lecter, from his youth to his pursuit by the FBI.

1. Hannibal Lecter: The Origins of Evil (Hannibal Rising), directed by Peter Webber, 2007. The killer’s origins, his youth, and the birth of evil.
2. The Sixth Sense (Manhunter) from Michael Mann, 1986, and Red Dragon (Red Dragon) from Brett Ratner, 2002. Both of these films tell the same story: the investigator Will Graham facing the killer nicknamed the Great Red Dragon.
3. The Silence of the Lambs (The Silence of the Lambs) from Jonathan Demme, 1991. Clarice Starling enlists Lecter in prison to track down another serial killer.
4. Hannibal of Ridley Scott, 2001. Lecter is on the run, and a former patient is plotting his revenge.

2. Based on the theatrical release date

This order lets you experience the saga just as audiences did—one movie at a time.

1. The Sixth Sense (Manhunter), Michael Mann, 1986.
2. The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme, 1991.
3. Hannibal, Ridley Scott, 2001.
4. Red Dragon, Brett Ratner, 2002.
5. Hannibal Lecter: The Origins of Evil, Peter Webber, 2007.

What are the Hannibal films about?

Hannibal Lecter: The Origins of Evil

Directed by Peter Webber and released in 2007, this film delves into the The Youth of the Future Cannibal Killer.

After World War II, the young Hannibal Lecter and her sister take refuge in a house. Mercenaries attack them and kill the little girl.

Years later, Lecter leaves the orphanage where he grew up and goes to live with his aunt, Lady Murasaki. It's a dark thriller which explains the origin of evil. Although it comes first in chronological order, it is, on the contrary, the latest release at the movies.

Red Dragon and The Sixth Sense (Manhunter)

Both of these movies follow the same plot. After arresting Lecter, the former profiler Will Graham He lives a quiet life with his family in Florida, far from the FBI. However, his former boss comes to ask him for help with Stop a new serial killer.

This murderer, nicknamed the Tooth Fairy (the Tooth Fairy), thinks she's the Great Red Dragon and has already wiped out two families on full moon nights. To unmask him, Graham must rely on the formidable intelligence of the Dr. Lecter.

Red Dragon (Red Dragon) was produced by Brett Ratner in 2002.

The Sixth Sense (Manhunter) is the first adaptation of that same story, directed by Michael Mann in 1986. Please note: This French title can be confused with another movie of the same name that has absolutely nothing to do with the saga.

The Silence of the Lambs

Directed by Jonathan Demme in 1991, this movie is the real one a cornerstone of the saga. In the Middle West, a killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill kidnaps and murders young women.

The young police officer Clarice Starling is responsible for questioning the former psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychopath and cannibal, in order to understand the murderer.

Little by little, a a mix of fascination and repulsion settles in between them. This is the movie that made the character a cult favorite. If you had to watch just one to get into the saga, this is the one.

Hannibal

A direct continuation of the Silence of the Lambs, this thriller by Ridley Scott released in 2001 find Clarice Starling, played this time by Julianne Moore, still with the FBI. Meanwhile, Hannibal Lecter lives freely in Florence, in Italy, under a false identity.

But one man is waiting for his revenge: Mason Verger, a former patient who was disfigured and the only surviving victim of Dr. Lecter, wants to find him at all costs. In chronological order, this is the final phase from the life of Hannibal Lecter.

Are you a fan of horror movies and thrillers? Then you'll also love our selection of Serial Killer Movies available on Netflix, as well as our guides on how to watch Saw, Alien or Predator in the right order.

What is *The Silence of the Lambs* trilogy?

This trilogy brings together the three movies with Anthony Hopkins in the role of Dr. Lecter, in the order in which they appeared.

1. The Silence of the Lambs (Silence of the Lambs), 1991, Jonathan Demme.
2. Hannibal, 2001, Ridley Scott.
3. Red Dragon (Red Dragon), 2002, Brett Ratner.

This trilogy does not cover the entire saga. You have to add The Sixth Sense (Manhunter, 1986) and Hannibal Lecter: The Origins of Evil (2007) to get the 5 movies in its entirety.

Hannibal Lecter: Reading order for the novels in the series

Before movies, there are the novels by Thomas Harris, which gave rise to the character. To read the saga in the’chronological order From the story:

1. Hannibal Lecter: The Origins of Evil (novel by 2006), about Lecter's youth.
2. Red Dragon (1981).
3. The Silence of the Lambs (1988).
4. Hannibal (1999).

If this is your first time watching the series, the’order of appearances Watching the movie is highly recommended. It allows you to get to know the character through Anthony Hopkins’s iconic performance in *The Silence of the Lambs*. The’chronological order, on the other hand, is ideal if you want to revisit the saga from a continuous historical perspective.

About Hannibal

What about the series *Hannibal* (NBC)?

There is also a TV series developed by Bryan Fuller, based on the characters created by Thomas Harris. It features three seasons of 13 episodes each.

The series is set chronologically around the events of Red Dragon, even though it takes place in our time. Dr. Lecter, played by Mads Mikkelsen, serves as an advisor to the FBI profiler Will Graham to track down a serial killer in Minnesota. With its numerous references to movies, it serves as modern reinterpretation character.

Many fans are hoping for a season 4, but with each passing year, that outcome becomes less likely. Mads Mikkelsen and Bryan Fuller have mentioned a possible movie adaptation, but for now, nothing has been confirmed.