Get ready to return to the world of The Silence of the Lambs with CBS’ new psychological thriller series Clarice, a follow-up to the seminal 1991 movie which explores what FBI agent Clarice Starling did next. Pretty Little Liars star Rebecca Breeds leads in the role most famously played by Jodie Foster (as well as Julianne Moore in the sequel Hannibal). And you can get your best look yet at Breeds’ take on the character and the feel of the show in the trailer above.
Set in 1993, Clarice picks up one year after the events of Silence, with Starling returning to work following a sabbatical to hunt more serial killers and sexual predators in her native West Virginia (cue John Denver on the soundtrack). Breeds will be joined in the series by an ensemble cast including Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar), Tomas Esquivel (SEAL Team) and Nick Sandow (Orange is the New Black).
Star Trek: Discovery EPs Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet are on board as showrunners, and here’s how the official synopsis teases what we can expect:
“Brilliant and vulnerable, Clarice’s bravery gives her an inner light that draws monsters and madmen to her. However, her complex psychological makeup that comes from a challenging childhood empowers her to begin to find her voice while working in a man’s world, as well as escape the family secrets that have haunted her throughout her life.”
Fans of NBC’s beloved Hannibal series may be hoping for some sort of crossover here, with Mads Mikkelsen maybe turning up as Lecter to face off against Breeds’ Starling. Apart from the fact that it follows the continuity of the original movie and not that prequel show, though, there’s another reason that won’t be happening. Kurtzman has confirmed that, with rights to novelist Thomas Harris’ characters being split between different parties, Clarice is not allowed to even mention Hannibal. Apart from its titular protagonist, then, it’s likely the show will carve out its own unique story without much drawn from Harris’ works.
Tell us, though, do you like the looks of Clarice? Let us know your initial thoughts in the comments section below and don’t miss it when it premieres on CBS on Thursday, February 11th.