After the gothic slaughter-fest that defined Hannibal's second season finale, it's no surprise that the show has been busy casting.  Richard Armitage (The Hobbit) will reportedly join the NBC series in the role of Francis Dolarhyde (a.k.a. The Tooth Fairy), who has a prominent role in Thomas Harris' Red Dragon novel.  Hit the jump for more on Armitage's Season 3 role, and what else in store for Hannibal.

One of Hannibal's major improvements in its second season was how it moved away from the "killer of the week" setup, and instead expanded its storytelling to multi-episode arcs.  According to TV Line Armitage's Tooth Fairy is set to appear in six upcoming Season 3 episodes, which is great news not only for Armitage fans (ever since North and South, people …) but also for those who are happy to see the show growing away from a strict procedural setup.

The Tooth Fairy / Dolarhyde character is described as "hulking," and is -- naturally -- a serial killer.  His twist is that he enjoys targeting entire households for slaughter.  But does he also share Dr. Lecter's predilection for consuming his victims, as well?

It's also worth noting, in other recent Hannibal news, that the role of Mason Verger has been recast.  The mutable Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) decided to walk away from the show, sadly (after eating his own face.  On NBC.)  The good news is, he's been replaced by Joe Anderson, who recently appeared in the criminally underrated WeTV series The Divide.  Anderson even posted an image of him in his Verger makeup, which is predictably grotesque.  In other words, it sets the perfect stage for Hannibal's return.

Hannibal will rise again on NBC in the spring, as part of the network's midseason lineup.