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Hannibal Rising

Hannibal Rising

It started with revenge.

2007121 minRMidcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Director
Peter Webber
Starring
Gaspard Ulliel, Aaran Thomas, Gong Li, Dominic West

The story of the early, murderous roots of the cannibalistic killer, Hannibal Lecter – from his hard-scrabble Lithuanian childhood, where he witnesses the repulsive lengths to which hungry soldiers will go to satiate themselves, through his sojourn in France, where as a medical student he hones his appetite for the kill and learnt sword skills from his Japanese girlfriend, who happened to have similar fate

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hannibal Rising?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hannibal Rising streaming on Howdy via The Roku Channel, Peacock, Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, Tubi (free) and ViX via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Hannibal Rising?

Hannibal Rising earns 6 badges, led by Haunting and Preferred by Non-US Viewers.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Hannibal Rising worth watching?

Hannibal Rising's Midcredits score is the 41st percentile of all films, from 201K ratings across 6 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

41st percentile

Better received than 41% of films

49th percentile among Adventure40th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)35th
Approval (how many liked it)48th

57 /100

35th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Adventure35th percentile among 2000s

Critics 35 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Adventure45th percentile among 2000s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Critics 16% · Audience 55%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

88th percentile

201K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Adventure81st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$75M
Opening weekend$13M
Domestic gross$28M
Worldwide gross$82M

Returned 1.1× its budget — 87th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A revenge-driven origin story that focuses on the emotional and violent journey rather than the tension of the earlier films.

Fans praised

  • Gaspard Ulliel's commanding, engaging performance as young Lecter
  • As a standalone revenge thriller, it's solid and entertaining
  • Well-shot with strong cinematography and a chilling atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • Script lacking depth, feeling generic and plot-driven
  • Pacing is tedious, and the film lacks suspense and tension
  • Fails to add meaningful insight into Hannibal's character, feeling unnecessary

What stands out

Cinematography65

Well-shot with strong visual style and editing

Atmosphere60

Chilling flashbacks and grim tone create some mood

ActingDivisive55

Ulliel's performance is praised for presence but critics note limited range

Plot and storyDivisive45

Generic revenge plot that is predictable and lacks cohesion

CharactersDivisive40

Character study is underwhelming, focusing on revenge without depth

Pacing35

Tediously paced with dull stretches, lacking momentum

Tension30

Lacks suspense, feels more like a generic action film

Originality30

Feels derivative, lacking freshness as an origin story

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 10 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users even

Watch experience

What is Hannibal Rising like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: early
Register
Brutal · 7% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneA grim revenge thriller that plays its material straight, with unflinching violence and a bleak, brooding atmosphere.
The rideThe opening wartime trauma is the emotional epicenter, setting a tone of sustained dread and melancholy that carries through the revenge plot.
StructureChronological narrative from childhood to young adulthood, following his descent into serial murder.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's grim revenge and Hannibal's loss of humanity linger, leaving an unsettling aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film tracks young Hannibal Lecter's systematic hunting and killing of the war criminals who murdered his sister during WWII.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfTraumaSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Trauma · 7% of filmsRevenge · 4% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how childhood trauma and the loss of family can warp a person into a monster, with vengeance becoming a corrupted expression of grief.
StanceThe film interrogates how trauma can lead to monstrous acts, neither celebrating nor fully condemning Hannibal's path.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingPost-war Eastern Europe, with flashbacks to wartime Lithuania

Content guide

Is Hannibal Rising okay for kids?

R

Hannibal Rising is rated R: “Rated R for strong grisly violent content and some language/sexual references” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at mild (32/100), language at moderate (46/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 48% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 31 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany18
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+18
  • Czechia18+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-15
  • GreeceK18
  • Hong KongIIB
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyVM 14
  • LTN-16
  • MexicoC
  • MY18PL
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 69% of all filmsHeavier than 48% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 19%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 47%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Hannibal Rising have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hannibal Rising?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Gaspard Ulliel
as Hannibal
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Aaran Thomas
as Hannibal 8yrs
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Gong Li
as Lady Murasaki
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dominic West
as Inspector Popil
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rhys Ifans
as Grutas
Richard Brake
as Dortlich
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin McKidd
as Kolnas
Stephen Walters
as Milko
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Ivan Marevich
as Grentz
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Helena-Lia Tachovská
as Mischa
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Hannibal Rising?

Movies like Hannibal Rising include Manhunter (1986), Red Dragon (2002) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about psychopaths, and several are revenge stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Thomas Harris wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Hannibal Rising?

1.6K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: vigilante. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.