Based on the series of novels by Thomas Harris, Hannibal is a multimedia franchise that centers around the titular charismatic cannibalistic serial killer and the investigators who always remain one step behind him. The first film adaptation of the character came in 1986 with Manhunter, where Brian Cox took on the role, but since then, Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen have taken their turns as the antagonist. Hannibal shot into mainstream success with the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 and its subsequent sequels until Bryan Fuller began his adaptation for television.