Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Jun 23, 2015 7:16:40 GMT -6
deadline.com/2015/06/hannibal-cancelled-reaction-bryan-fuller-pickup-chances-1201451943/
‘Hannibal’ – Will Show Find New Life Elsewhere After NBC Cancellation?
It is a battle cry that is taking Twitter by storm: #SaveHannibal. Creator/executive producer Bryan Fuller used it when the news of the Hannibal cancellation broke, urging fans to watch the 10 remaining episodes on NBC. It was repeated by Hannibal executive producer Martha De Laurentiis, who confirmed that “we are exploring options with other potential partners” and invited viewers to “join us in sending a message to other potential partners.”
The cancellation news is barely a couple of hours old, but I hear that there has been a significant interest in Hannibal from other outlets. The one that would make most sense is Amazon, which already has exclusive rights to the existing three seasons of the show as part of a four-year, five-show deal with NBCUniversal. The deal is in the middle of its term, which would complicate potential negotiations with Amazon competitors like Netflix.
Also worth mentioning is that Fuller, who has run the show for the first three seasons, has no showrunner deal going forward. He just landed his next series, American Gods at Starz, which he is doing with Michael Green. But Fuller has been passionate about Hannibal and had indicated that he likely would find a way to stay involved if the show continues. (Green serves as day-to-day showrunner on American Gods.)
It is not easy but has happened before: Cult comedy Community was dealt the same fate as Hannibal last year, getting cancelled by NBC, but subsequently was picked up by Yahoo. Hannibal, from Gaumont International TV, is a well-reviewed, upscale series with a small but devoted following and strong social media presence — something digital networks crave. Also working in Hannibal‘s favor is the fact that the show is still on the air, with 10 new episodes yet to air, giving potential buyers a series that still would be fresh in viewers’ minds.
And the fan support for the show should get an extra boost next month, with Fuller rallying fans at Comic-Con. He confirmed post-cancellation today that the show would still be going to the comic book convention in San Diego.