| Hannibal | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
 Promotional poster | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | June 4 – August 29, 2015 |
| Season chronology | |
The third and final season of the American television series Hannibal premiered on June 4, 2015. The season is produced by Dino de Laurentiis Company, Living Dead Guy Productions, AXN Original Productions, and Gaumont International Television, with Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Katie O'Connell, Elisa Todd Ellis, David Slade, Steve Lightfoot, Martha De Laurentiis, and Bryan Fuller serving as executive producers. Fuller serves as the series developer and showrunner, co-writing all 13 episodes of the season.
The season was ordered in May 2014.[1] The season stars Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, Gillian Anderson, and Laurence Fishburne, with Scott Thompson and Aaron Abrams receiving "also starring" status. The series is based on characters and elements appearing in Thomas Harris' novels Red Dragon (1981), Hannibal (1999), and Hannibal Rising (2006) and focuses on the relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a forensic psychiatrist who is secretly a cannibalistic serial killer. The first half of the season serves as a loose adaptation of Hannibal while also adapting some elements from Hannibal Rising; the second half of the season adapts the plot of Red Dragon. The first seven episodes of season are named after different courses of Italian cuisine,[2] the subsequent five are named for William Blake's series of The Great Red Dragon Paintings,[3] and the finale's title is a phrase from Revelation 6:16.[4]
The season premiered on June 4, 2015, on NBC. The season premiere received 2.57 million viewers with a 0.7/2 ratings share in the 18–49 demographics. The season ended on August 29, 2015, with an average of 1.31 million viewers, which was a 48% drop from the previous season.[5] The season received acclaim from critics and audiences, praising the performances, writing, character development, cinematography and faithfulness to its source material. The series finale was particularly praised. Nevertheless, the season's low viewership prompted NBC to cancel the series in June 2015.[6] Despite efforts in finding a new network for the series, as of June 2022, the series remains cancelled.[7]
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 9, 2014). "NBC Renews 'Hannibal' For Third Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Nguyen, Hanh (July 24, 2014). "Delicious Hannibal Dish: A Familiar Face Returns, New Season 3 Characters". TV Guide. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Dibdin, Emma (April 25, 2015). "Bryan Fuller serves up 11 delicious new spoilers for Hannibal season 3". Digital Spy. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Bowen, Chuck (August 22, 2015). "Hannibal Recap: Season 3, Episode 12, "The Number of the Beast Is 666"". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ "Hannibal: Season Three Ratings". TV Series Finale. September 1, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 22, 2015). "'Hannibal' Cancelled By NBC After 3 Seasons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (June 10, 2020). "The Long Road to 'Hannibal' Season 4: Clarice, 'Inception,' and a Total Series Reinvention". IndieWire. Retrieved January 23, 2022.