The award-winning film Silence of the Lambs is reportedly getting a new life on television at CBS. The network announced this morning that has made a commitment to a spinoff series of the film led by Alex Kurtzman of the Star Trek franchise.
The spinoff series, currently titled Clarice, will follow the protagonist of Silence of the Lambs Clarice Starling, an FBI agent tasked with tracking down serial killers and sexual offenders and bringing them to justice. The series is currently set to take place a year after the events of the film in 1993. The actress playing the role of Clarice, played by Jodi Foster in the film, has not yet been announced.
In the announcement, Kurtzman explained that the goal of the series was to explore the untold story of Clarice. “After more than 20 years of silence, we’re privileged to give voice to one of America’s most enduring heroes – Clarice Starling,” Kurtzman stated. “Clarice’s bravery and complexity have always lit the way, even as her personal story remained in the dark. But hers is the very story we need today: her struggle, her resilience, her victory. Her time is now, and always.”
This isn’t the first attempt at creating a Silence of the Lambs spinoff, however. In the mid-2010s NBC produced the series Hannibal, starring Mads Mikkelsen as the titular serial killer, to significant critical acclaim. Additionally in 2012 Lifetime attempted to develop a Clarice-centered drama set just after Clarice graduates from the FBI academy, though the series never made its way out of development.
As for Kurtzman, Clarice isn’t the only high-profile show the creator is overseeing for CBS. Kurtzman is also involved in the upcoming Star Trek series Picard, as well as The Man Who Fell to Earth, both for CBS All Access. While overseeing these shows, Kurtzman will also continue to serve as executive producer for the current Hawaii Five-0 reboot.
The writers’ room for Clarice has reportedly already been opened with at least one script already completed. A pilot for the series will be produced before a formal pickup from CBS. In addition to CBS TV Studios, MGM TV will also be involved in the project as they own the rights to Silence of the Lambs.