After three stellar seasons, NBC has cancelled Hannibal

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Well shit, that's not how I wanted to start my afternoon; in an unsurprising yet still deeply unfortunate bit of news, NBC has elected not to move forward with a fourth season of the best show you're apparently not watching. Hannibal, which is currently airing its third season, has been cancelled by NBC.

Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller took the news as well as could be expected and praised NBC for the great freedom they gave himself and the show over its three season:

NBC has allowed us to craft a television series that no other broadcast network would have dared, and kept us on the air for three seasons despite Cancellation Bear Chow ratings and images that would have shredded the eyeballs of lesser Standards & Practices enforcers. Jen Salke and her team have been fantastic partners and creatively supportive beyond measure. HANNIBAL is finishing his last course at NBC’s table this summer, but a hungry cannibal can always dine again. And personally, I look forward to my next meal with NBC.

An NBC spokesperson also chimed in:

We have been tremendously proud of ‘Hannibal’ over its three seasons,” NBC said in a statement. “Bryan and his team of writers and producers, as well as our incredible actors, have brought a visual palette of storytelling that has been second to none in all of television — broadcast or cable. We thank Gaumont and everyone involved in the show for their tireless efforts that have made ‘Hannibal’ an incredible experience for audiences around the world.

Before we all start sliding into a deep depression it's important to note that while NBC does broadcast the show it does not produce it; Gaumont International Television handles that honour so it's entirely possible that they may already be in the process of shopping the show around to other networks or streaming services. We've seen more than several shows gain a second chance via this route so fingers crossed that we haven't seen the last of Hannibal.

Despite the cancellation, Hannibal will finish out the entirety of its third season Thursday nights on NBC.