The 2013 Gary Oldman in Ridley Scott’s 2001 Hannibal film.

In light of the series’ relatively short run (given that NBC’s Hannibal was canceled before it could receive a season 4), it is surprising that the role of Mason Verger was mysteriously recast after the end of Hannibal season 2. This caused a good deal of confusion amongst the fanbase – at least for those who picked up on the subtle change.

Michael Pitt’s Performance Was A Key Part Of The Show

While one would expect the title villain to be the primary “rub” of the show, Mason Verger served an unexpectedly important purpose in the Hannibal series, arguably acting as more of a primary antagonist than Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) himself. Even though the NBC spin-off focuses primarily upon the characters of Thomas Harris’ first Hannibal novel, Red Dragon (1988), show creator Bryan Fuller could not leave out the Hannibal novel character of Mason Verger without wasting the potential of a viable adversary for Dr. Lecter.

Michael Pitt adapted Gary Oldman’s iconic performance from the 2001 Ridley Scott Hannibal, managing to remain faithful to this original performance while also putting his own spin on the role. The levity that Pitt brought to this exceptionally dark and repugnant character was unique to his portrayal and made him a fan favorite. Michael Pitt’s Joker-like version of Mason Verger provided comedic relief and friction in equal measure.

Why Michael Pitt Left NBC’s Hannibal And Who Played Mason Verger In Season 3

Despite repeated allegations that the star is difficult to work with, Dreamers’ Michael Pitt actually left Hannibal due to scheduling conflicts. The timing of his departure was highly convenient given that the character of Mason Verger fed his own face to Will Graham’s (Hugh Dancy) dogs in episode 12 of Hannibal season 2, “Tome-wan.” This made the recasting of Verger virtually seamless, as his horrific disfigurement made it easy to off the role to a new actor. Funnily enough, this was the same reason Gary Oldman was able to fly under the radar in Hannibal.

In season 3 of Hannibal, Joe Anderson stepped into the character of Mason Verger, lending the role a darker and more serious tone than was seen in Pitt’s portrayal. Anderson heavily channeled Oldman’s version of Verger, and while the fanbase seemed to mostly prefer the casting of Michael Pitt, Anderson more than did justice to this monstrous Hannibal villain.

Source: Digital Spy