Mads Mikkelsen Cast As NBC's 'Hannibal'

Mads Mikkelsen, the Dane who just scored the Best Actor award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival for his role as Lucas, a man who becomes the target of small-town hysteria, in Thomas Vinterberg's Danish film, The Hunt, has now been cast in a few American roles, to follow up on his previous Casino Royle, Clash of the Titans, and Three Musketeers fame.

Mikkelsen, 46, has landed the title role in NBC's upcoming series, Hannibal, based on the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, previously played by Anthony Hopkins, in the iconic movie, Silence of the Lambs, also starring Jodie Foster, and its sequel films, Hannibal and Red Dragon. Mikkelsen will play opposite Hugh Dancy (Hysteria), who will portray Special Agent Will Graham, in the new Hannibal.

NBC's Hannibal, co-created by Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies), has been signed for a 13-episode season and is in pre-production. The show will begin in Hannibal's pre-Silence of the Lambs days. "It's before he was incarcerated, so he's more of a peacock," said Fuller about his vision of the psychopathic Hannibal. "There is a cheery disposition to our Hannibal. He's not being telegraphed as a villain. If the audience didn't know who he was, they wouldn't see him coming."

Mikkelsen has also been recently tapped to play the lead villain in Marvel's sequel to Thor, also starring Chris Hemsworth.

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