Would Patrick Stewart want to return to episodic TV? He was scarily good in Conspiracy Theory and the recent Stalinist-era retelling of Macbeth.
Addendum to my previous post: Gaspard Ulliel played the lead role in the Hannibal Rising, which was based on a novel that confirmed what I only suspected after reading Hannibal. Thomas Harris had become a hack.
Laurence Fishburne?
Stretching a bit: Joel McHale?
Casting awesomely against type: Drew Carey.
This would actually be absolutely right. I mean, we think of Lecter as cold and frightening, because most of us first remember seeing him in his cage in “Silence of the Lambs.” But Will Graham wouldn’t see him that way at all - he liked, respected, and trusted Lecter. Fry is naturally an avuncular, warm sort, and can easily portray cultured and intelligent. If anyone can charm the audience right alongside Graham, it’s Fry.
Did you get that from the novel?
[Hannibal Lecter]Of course he does… we’re just alike, Will and I, both of us eidetekers but one of us with the courage of his convictions. Which one that is, that is a matter for an interesting debate.[/Hannibal Lecter]
ISTR they had a cordial working relationship, but weren’t best buddies at any time.
Sorry, but I think Stephen Fry is just too plump to convincingly play Lecter.
I recall that Will Graham was investigating him, saw a picture of “The Wounded Man” on the wall during an interview, * knew* that Lecter was the guy, and Lecter knifed him from behind while Graham was using a pay phone.
From the novel.
ISTR=?
How about Neal McDonough? He can be menacing, and he has those creepy pale eyes.
Plus, he’s secretly British! (He kiddingly claimed this in the DVD commentary fir Breaking Bad…I thought his joke was a hilarious little send-up of the trend we’ve seen in The Wire, House, et al.)
I think it was more from the Red Dragon remake - Graham shows up to Lecter’s house late to discuss his case, accepts the offer of a drink, seems to be confiding in the man. That’s not how you treat someone you have a merely decent working relationship with - Graham seemed to consider the man a friend, at least a work-friend.
I was annoyed with…
Ahem.
A major difference in Hannibal the film and novel is that Lecter doesn’t turn Starling and cuts his hand off to escape handcuffs. Lecter carried a paperclip for some period of time inside a pen refill tube in his cheek and picked handcuffs with it to escape in Silence of the Lambs. No need to amputate his hand.
The plot change may have caused Harris to write a prequel, since there is now a divergence in the novels and movies.
Something I’ve wondered about that scene: are the links in a handcuff really harder to chop through than a hand?
Michael Sheen. Charming, until he bites your face off.
Walton Groggins, better known as Boyd Crowder from Justified.
So says Mad Max. 
Hank Azaria
We already know Ed Norton can play a lovable psychopath.
This was my first thought. Although I like the idea of Michael Sheen too. Sheen seems to get enough movie roles not to need a long stint on the TeeVee.