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‘Silence of the Lambs’ TV spinoff ‘Clarice’ gets series commitment from CBS

Anthony Hopkins in 'Silence of the Lambs' (1991). Orion/courtesy Everett Collection

Silence of the Lambs-inspired TV show has been handed a series commitment by CBS.

Though it has not been formally picked up by the network, CBS announced on Sunday — during the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour — that it has committed to the show, according to the Hollywood Reporter (THR).

The spinoff, currently entitled Clarice, hails from Alex Kurtzman, who presently captains the Star Trek franchise’s TV universe. Alongside Star Trek: Discover co-showrunner Jenny Lumet, he will pen a script for the drama series.

If picked up, Clarice will follow Jodie Foster’s infamous Clarice Starling character after the events of The Silence of the Lambs.

Jodie Foster in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991). CP Images Archive

In the series, the beloved character is expected to continue her work as an FBI agent attempting to expose and incriminate serial rapists and murderers “while navigating the high-stakes political world of Washington, D.C.”

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“After more than 20 years of silence, we’re privileged to give voice to one of America’s most enduring heroes — Clarice Starling,” Kurtzman and Lumet said in a joint statement on Sunday, according to THR.

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While it’s unclear if Foster, 57, will return to the screen as Starling, Clarice is set in 1993 — only a year after the conclusion of the cult classic 1991 film — and will also take a deeper look into the untold personal story of the on-screen heroine.

“Clarice’s bravery and complexity have always lit the way, even as her personal story remained in the dark,” the duo’s statement continued. “But hers is the very story we need today: her struggle, her resilience, her victory. Her time is now, and always.”

Click to play video: 'Jodie Foster, Stephen Colbert parody ‘Silence of the Lambs’  in Trump-Russia investigation skit'
Jodie Foster, Stephen Colbert parody ‘Silence of the Lambs’ in Trump-Russia investigation skit

If approved, Clarice will serve as the first Silence of the Lambs spinoff since Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal, which ran for three seasons between 2013 and 2015.

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As of this writing, it’s unclear when — or if — Clarice will be picked up and begin production.

adam.wallis@globalnews.ca

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