No one knows for sure why this happened, but it’s either because De Laurentiis didn’t want audiences to think it was a martial arts movie or because he’d already produced a Mickey Rourke film with the word “dragon” in the title the year before, and didn’t do well at the box office. So despite the fact that it was a good movie, Manhunter tanked. De Laurentiis’ original deal with novelist Thomas Harris allowed him to retain the film rights to the character of Hannibal Lecter, giving him the first crack at buying the rights to The Silence of the Lambs once it was written. But because Manhunter didn’t make enough money, he not only passed on the project, he didn’t even bother to read the book.
When Orion (whose assets were later acquired by MGM) obtained the rights to the book and its new characters, De Laurentiis allowed them to use Lecter for free. Of course, once the movie version of The Silence of the Lambs was an Oscar-winning phenomenon, De Laurentiis regretted the decision and became an integral part of the subsequent movies. He also helped drive the nail into the coffin of the film franchise by producing the godawful prequel Hannibal Rising, based on a novel by Harris … which he only wrote because De Laurentiis essentially threatened him, so thanks for that.
You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter! And check out the podcast Rewatchability.
Top Image: NBC Universal
Related: 5 Big Characters Who Got Written Out Of Movies And Shows
Join the Cracked Movie Club…
and never miss movie or TV coverage from Cracked again! Sign up now!