A few years ago one of the major magazines (TIME, NEWSWEEK, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY or someone else) had a poll on what sequel to what movie they craved the most, and if memory serves (which it often doesn't) I seem to recall that after STAR WARS, the next most wanted sequel was to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS... For quite some time now we've heard that Jonathon Demme, Ted Tally, Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins were all a sitting back and a waiting on Thomas Harris to hand in the manuscript, which has long been rumored to be entitled.... MORBIDITY OF THE SOUL... We've had quotes from Hopkins, Foster, Demme and even Harris himself pop up in the media as well as to our spies. But, finally this report seems to say... well... the book is done... Now we'll see if everyone bites... I hope I hope I hope I hope... Here's Mr Blinky with the report...
Honorable Harry-San:
Here's a brief item about the sequel to "The Silence of the Lambs." I'd say it was a lead-pipe cinch to become an ass-kicking movie, except for the fact that the dead, clammy hand of Dino De Laurentiis is involved.
Call me Mr.. Blinky....
PW Daily for Booksellers, (March 30, 1999)
Silence of the Lambs Author Makes Some Noise
Break out the fava beans and Chianti:. Serial killer Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter returns in Hannibal, Thomas Harris' finally delivered, long-awaited sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, his blockbuster bestseller that has sold some 10 million copies worldwide since its 1988 publication.
Today, Delacorte announced it will publish the new book, a 480-page, $27.95 hardcover, on June 8 in a one-day national laydown. Based on just one day's response from accounts, Dell, which holds U.S. and Canada hard/soft rights to the book, projected that a 500,000-copy first printing is looking likely and "will probably go up," said president and publisher Carole Baron. The book is also a Main Selection of the Book of the Month Club with an audio version to be published simultaneously by Random Audio.
According to Delacorte, the new novel opens seven years after Dr. Lecter's stunning escape from the authorities, the climax of the earlier book, as one of his earlier victims uses FBI Agent Clarice Starling, also featured in Silence, as bait to draw the doctor out in the open to wreak revenge. Baron wouldn't divulge much more of the plot, but did note that a scene of the book takes place in Florence, which brings to mind the rumors that popped up in 1994 when Harris attended the Milan-based trial of Pietro Pacciani, a farmer accused of being a serial killer. Harris was seen chatting extensively with the detective who launched the investigation, fueling speculation that Pacciani might be the subject of his next book. Baron would only say that "none of what you've read about the plot before in the papers is true," and that Harris "has written the kind of rich, complex book that booksellers will love to sell."
Baron, who said she knew for the last six months or so that the manuscript might be coming this year, received Hannibal from the reclusive Harris on March 23. It has been quite a wait; over a decade ago, she signed Harris to a reported $5,750,000 two-book deal, of which this sequel is the first book (BOMC's deal was also at this time). Harris's first two books, Black Sunday (1973) and Red Dragon (1981) were published by Putnam in hardcover, then reprinted by Bantam; Baron acquired the paperback rights for these books for Dell at the time of her deal. St. Martin's is the U.S. publisher of The Silence of the Lambs; after the news of the sequel delivery, SMP announced a 300,000 re-release of a mass market edition of the book, to feature a new cover, as well as a yetundetermined new printing of a trade paperback edition of the book, which had been issued last year at the book's tenth anniversary.
According to Harris's literary agent, Mort Janklow, all those involved in the Academy Award winning 1991 film adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs--director Jonathan Demme, actors Anthony Hopkins (Lecter) and Jodie Foster (Starling)--have just been sent a copy of Hannibal. The rights background for this book, even for Hollywood, is particularly complex. Dino De Laurentiis has some claim on the Lecter character since he produced Manhunter, the film adaptation of the Red Dragon, in which the character of Lecter first appears. De Laurentiis previously hammered out a one-picture agreement with Orion for its release of its The Silence of the Lambs adaptation. Additionally, due to a 1992 out-of-court settlement, De Laurentiis must give Universal to first negotiation/last refusal opportunity to bid on domestic rights to this sequel; if De Laurentiis chooses not to exercise his rights to produce the sequel, Universal will have right to take its place.--Judy Quinn
