NBC is putting more Hannibal on the menu. The network has given a third-season pickup to the series, from Bryan Fuller and Gaumont International Television. Based on Thomas Harris’ characters, the gory psychological thriller focuses on the budding relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). The pre-upfront renewal is a nice change for the show, which was left hanging last year until after the upfronts before getting a second-season pickup. Hannibal has done OK in the Friday 10 PM slot as part of NBC’s genre block. So far this season, it is averaging a 1.4 in adults 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers in most current ratings after a big DVR boost. Hannibal also is the youngest 10 PM drama on the broadcast networks with a median age of 48.2. The series is done under a different model, which allows the producers to make it for a $750,000 license fee from NBC, a fraction of what a high-end drama like that goes for. And I hear that, with a SVOD deal for Hannibal kicking in that NBC shares in, the license fee is poised to become even lower in Season 3.

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The series is produced by Gaumont in association with Sony Pictures TV as well as Dino De Laurentiis Co and Living Dead Guy Prods. Fuller executive produces with Martha De Laurentiis, Steven Lightfoot, Michael Rhymer, Chris Brancato, David Slade, Katie O’Connell, Elisa Roth, Christophe Riandee and Sidonie Dumas.