Thomas Harris’ classic character is about to make the jump from feature film to small screen. Hannibal, a Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) project, has been ordered direct-to-series by NBC. The 13 episode thriller will go back to the beginning, as suggested by the logline:

“One-hour contemporary thriller series featuring the classic characters from Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon – FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Hannibal Lecter – who are re-introduced at the beginning of their budding relationship.”

NBC also greenlit a pilot order for Notorious, a detective story/soap opera from writer Liz Heldens (Friday Night Lights). Hit the jump for more on both projects.

News of the network’s orders

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comes via EW. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Hannibal order is not that it went straight to series, but that Fuller has decided to focus on FBI agent Will Graham rather than the more popular agent, Clarice Starling. Of course, this makes sense if the story is going to take on more of an origin slant.

The pickup of Hannibal comes about a week after news that Fuller’s other project, The Munsters, has been shelved temporarily in order to fine tune it. The pilot will likely shoot this summer in preparation for a mid-season release in 2013.

NBC’s other order, Notorious, is described as follows:

“An opulent soap in which a female detective returns undercover to the wealthy family she grew up in – as the maid’s daughter – to solve the murder of the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend.”

If it’s anything like Helden’s recent project Prime Suspect, I might be encouraged to tune in.