Hannibal on AXN: Feed your fear

MANILA, Philippines - AXN will debut the highly-anticipated original series Hannibal tonight on 10. A cinematic thriller from the imaginative mind of Bryan Fuller (Heroes, Pushing Daisies) and the artful direction of David Slade (Twilight: Eclipse, 30 Days of Night), Hannibal explores the early relationship of Thomas Harris’ famous characters — renowned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter and gifted FBI criminal profiler Will Graham.

Hannibal stars Hugh Dancy (The Big C, King Arthur, Black Hawk Down) as Will Graham, a brilliant, empathic FBI profiler who is able to mentally re-trace the twisted thoughts and methods of the agency’s most-wanted serial killers. His boss and handler, Jack Crawford (Laurence H. Fishburne, The Matrix, Contagion, CSI), who harnesses Will’s uncanny ability to see into minds of the evil, recognizes his need for psychiatric help after a particularly disturbing case. As a result, Will finds himself assigned to the care of the highly-respected psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen, Casino Royale, The Hunt, A Royal Affair).

Unbeknownst to Will, there is a reason Dr. Lecter has particular insight into these horrible crimes and the psychopaths who commit them. What follows is a masterful mind game set against the contrasting worlds of good and evil where lines blur, elegance breeds horror and nothing is what it seems.

Fuller’s stylized, procedural drama is the latest AXN original series, ideally suited for AXN channels across Asia and the rest of the world. As part of the global launch, Hannibal will be rolled out in over 80 countries and will have versions in 18 languages around the world. Hannibal is produced by Gaumont International Television in association with Sony Pictures Television Networks.

You can also download a special Hannibal application on Apple’s iTunes store that lets you enjoy a second screen experience. Open your app and click synch and your device will listen to the TV episode while you watch and reveal exclusive content. You can also follow along with the character tracker button to get in-depth, insider facts of the key players.

The Copenhagen-born Mikkelsen began his professional career as a gymnast and dancer, and has worked steadily in theater, TV and film to become the top male star in Denmark and Scandinavia.

Mikkelsen stars in the Academy Award-nominated film, A Royal Affair, in the role of Johann Friedrich Struensee.  He received the Best Actor Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival for his role in The Hunt.

Mikkelsen also co-stars in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, opposite Shia LaBeouf, Rupert Grint and Evan Rachel Wood. Directed by Fredrik Bond, the film premiered in January of this year at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2004, Mikkelsen made his US debut opposite Clive Owen and Keira Knightley in Disney’s King Arthur.

Dancy recently starred in Hysteria opposite Maggie Gyllenhaal and the critically-acclaimed film Martha Marcy May Marlene opposite Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes. He will next lend his voice to the animated 3D musical Dorothy of Oz.

Dancy was previously seen starring in Adam opposite Rose Byrne. He plays the title character, a young man with Asperger’s syndrome struggling to survive in New York City. Adam premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. Dancy also starred in P.J. Hogan’s Confessions of a Shopaholic opposite Isla Fisher, which grossed over $100M worldwide. Dancy’s other film credits include: Our Idiot Brother, Evening, The Jane Austen Book Club, Beyond the Gates, King Arthur, Ella Enchanted, The Sleeping Dictionary, Black Hawk Down and Young Blades. 

In 2007, Dancy starred in Tom Hooper’s critically-acclaimed series Elizabeth I opposite Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons. He received an Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his role as Earl of Essex.

Fishburne has achieved success not only as an actor, but as a producer and director. In 1992, he won a Tony, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critic’s Circle Award and a Theater World Award for his portrayal of Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s Two Trains Running. His appearance in the 1993 premiere episode of Fox TV’s Tribeca landed him an Emmy Award.  To complete the Triple Crown, he was nominated for an Oscar in 1993 for his portrayal of Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to do With It.

Most recently, Fishburne has completed production as the character Perry White in the upcoming Superman film Man of Steel from director Zack Snyder, scheduled for release in June. He has also completed production on The Colony, directed by Jeff Renfroe for release later this year.

Fishburne’s screen credits include Steven Soderbergh’s disease outbreak thriller Contagion, Nimrod Antal’s Predators, the heist film Armored and The Alchemist, in which he starred, directed and produced. He was an integral part of the box-office sensations The Matrix, The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions.  In 2008, he joined the cast of the hit CBS primetime show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.