""Hannibal"" Sets Up Shop In Italy
Preproduction on the highly anticipated sequel to ""The Silence Of the Lambs"" has quietly begun, with shooting for ""Hannibal"" tentatively scheduled for a spring start in Florence, Italy. Hollywood-based producer Dino De Laurentiis, director Ridley Scott and set designer Norris Spencer are in Florence this week scouting locations in the Renaissance capital where ""Silence Of The Lambs"" author Thomas Harris has set a substantial portion of his new best-selling thriller ""Hannibal."" Like ""Lambs,"" ""Hannibal"" centers on the relationship between brilliant serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter and the young FBI agent who challenges him, Clarice Starling. De Laurentiis said Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster would decide if they want to reprise their roles after reading Steven Zaillian's (""Schindler's List"") rewrite of David Mamet's draft, which will have a different ending than the book. Source: The Hollywood Reporter