Silence of the Lambs Haunts Clarice Starling In Sequel TV Show Trailer

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The release of the official Clarice trailer for the Silence of the Lambs sequel series portrays Clarice Starling as a woman haunted by her past. The series is promising to provide a deep dive into Clarice Starling's psychological make up and challenging childhood. The character of Clarice was introduced to audiences in the Silence of the Lambs movie, then played by Jodie Foster.

Hannibal Lecter has been the central focus of the several films following the release of Silence of the Lambs, such as Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, as well as the TV show Hannibal which ran for three season on NBC. Now, the CBS show, Clarice, is creating a new narrative as FBI Agent Clarice Starling, played by Rebecca Breeds, takes the spotlight as a character with a muddy past and a lot to confront. Clarice will take place in 1993, a year that the show considers significant as it aims to navigate real events that occurred that year like the Waco Siege, the first bombing of the World Trade Center, and the aftermath of Ruby Ridge. Setting the show in 1993 means it takes place just a year after the events of Silence of the Lambs.

In the Clarice trailer, a few things are revealed about the direction of the show, including Starling's return to Appalachia as "old ghosts" and family secrets, come back to haunt her. The trailer shows Starling waking up from terrible nightmares and visions of childhood trauma as Attorney General Ruth Martin lures Starling back to work while she grapples with intense public press and her abrasive male co-agents. The new trailer's mention of Appalachia and song choice of "Take Me Home, Country Road" are the first mention of the Clarice show setting and may provide insight into some of the cases Starling will deal with throughout the show or events from her childhood.



Executive producer of Clarice, Alex Kurtzman, recently stated, "Hannibal is an incredible character, as is [FBI Agent] Will Graham, but Clarice Starling has a truly unique amazing psychology, and part of why Silence of the Lambs was so wonderful is the film put you so squarely in her shoes." The title for the pilot of the show is 'The Silence is Over," further indicating it will move beyond the events of the movie. Kurtzman wants the show to be about Starling finally speaking up and exploring herself and the trauma Buffalo Bill has left in her. Although Hannibal Lecter won't appear in the CBS show, the previous teaser trailer for Clarice did provide several flashes calling back to Buffalo Bill, furthering Kurtzman's notion that, although the show centers around Starling, her haunting ties to Buffalo Bill are far from gone.

Breeds definitely has some big shoes to fill as she creates a new level of psychological depth in Starling's beloved character, which won Foster an Academy Award in the original film. Simultaneously, it's exciting that Breeds has the opportunity to help explore a new narrative that is entirely focused on who Starling is as a character. Clarice will of course embody the grotesque features of a good crime drama, but it may also focus on a new kind of horror for Starling, a deeper psychological horror rooted in unwanted memories and the darkness associated with confronting her past.

Clarice premieres Thursday, February 11 on CBS.