‘Hannibal’ Season 3 Adds ‘The Hobbit’ Star as ‘Red Dragon’ Baddie Francis Dolarhyde

NBC’s darkly delicious ‘Hannibal’ lost one of its more headline-grabbing stars for season 3 when Joe Anderson replaced ‘Boardwalk Empire’’s Michael Pitt as literary villain Mason Verger, but Bryan Fuller’s “remix” series has added another dish in his wake. Fresh off ‘The Battle of the Five Armies,’ ‘The Hobbit’ star Richard Armitage will play ‘Hannibal’'s incarnation of ‘Red Dragon’ villain Francis Dolarhyde.

News of Armitage’s casting comes from TVLine, adding that the prior ‘Captain America’ star will appear in 6 ‘Hannibal’ episodes as bodybuilding ‘Tooth Fairy’ killer Francis Dolarhyde, original villain of Thomas Harris’ ‘Red Dragon’ novel, which itself introduced the characters of Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham, played in the NBC series by Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy.

Elsewhere, we know of ‘Hannibal’ season 3 that Gillian Anderson has been upgraded to series regular as Dr. Bedelia du Maurier, last cryptically seen flying alongside Hannibal in the post-credits tag of season 2 finale bloodbath “Mizumono.” Raul Esparza will (somewhat) surprisingly return to the role of Dr. Frederick Chilton, while Fuller suggested Eddie Izzard could return to the role of the late Dr. Abel Gideon as well.

The new season will pick up sometime later with Hannibal and Bedelia’s new life on the lam, also incorporating such literary Thomas Harris figures as Mason Verger’s living assistant Cordell, and ‘Red Dragon’ character Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi. Additionally, ‘Batman vs. Superman’and ‘The Wolverine’ star Tao Okamoto has been confirmed to play the role of Hannibal’s “aunt” Lady Murasaki (or her attendant “Chiyo,” it’s a bit confusing).

‘Hannibal’ will continually reach toward the familiar Thomas Harris characters as seasons progress (still no luck obtaining the rights to Clarice Starling just yet), but what say you? Are you interested to see what Richard Armitage brings to the role of Francis Dolarhyde, portrayed in Brett Ratner‘s 2002 adaptation by Ralph Fiennes? Tell us what you want to see from ‘Hannibal’ season 3 this year in the comments, and get a taste of Francis Dolarhyde in the below trailer!