Hannibal is going to get even crazier in its third season, as Bryan Fuller is now pulling from Thomas Harris’ prequel novel Hannibal Rising for inspiration and new characters. The first character to join the mix is the mysterious Lady Murasaki, Hannibal Lecter’s Japanese aunt, who will be played by The Wolverine and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice actress Tao Okamoto.
Deadline describes her role as follows:
“Okamoto will play the dark and mysterious Lady Murasaki, who possesses an alluring and classical beauty with a dark secret.”
Lecter’s relationship with Murasaki is pretty dark and complicated, as the two are quasi-romantic. Judging by the way showrunner Bryan Fuller has pulled from the source material thus far, we won’t get a direct translation, but he certainly won’t shy away from the darker psychological implications of their relationship.
Yeah, Hannibal can’t return soon enough.