Foster's decision left Universal and MGM — the studios coproducing Hannibal — in a high-profile jam. Rumors began to circulate that the studios were considering returning the rights to the film to independent producer Dino De Laurentiis, who had an option on Hannibal after producing 1986's Manhunter, based on Harris' Red Dragon. And why not? Even with the inimitable Hopkins returning as Dr. Lecter (for north of $10 million) the picture was escalating into a bloody mess, hemorrhaging talent and money. De Laurentiis had already shelled out $11 million for the rights to Hannibal, a screenplay from David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross), and a rewrite from Oscar winner Steve Zaillian (Schindler's List), the latter influenced by notes from Harris.
De Laurentiis insists that had Universal and MGM given him back the rights, he would have gone ahead anyway: '''I'd have said f--- 'em — I'll do it on my own. Just like I did with [the 1997 Kurt Russell hit] Breakdown.'''
Furthermore, he says he wasn't in the least distressed by Foster dropping out. ''Dino's attitude was f--- it, move on,'' says a source close to the producer. ''After Anna and the King [Foster's recent $39 million-grossing disappointment], the thinking was 'Good, what did Jodie Foster really bring anyway?'''
''I'm 80,'' says De Laurentiis. ''I've been in the movie business over 30 years, and I know this: The only thing that matters is a good director and a good story. With those two things, I could play Starling. Within two minutes the audience will forget all about Jodie Foster — I promise you.''
The director he turned to was Ridley Scott (Alien). Scott and De Laurentiis were both shooting in Malta; the director was working on Gladiator, the producer on U-571. De Laurentiis walked Harris' novel over to Scott, who quickly agreed to direct, pending a workable screenplay.
''Everyone here walked a real narrow path, and it was fraught with a lot of anxiety, putting this movie together,'' admits Stacey Snider, chairman of Universal Pictures, but Scott's participation and Zaillian's ''awesome'' screenplay reassured her. ''Ridley and Steve had a very strong and passionate point of view that after the opening sequence — it's an action sequence — as soon as you see [Clarice] in that FBI truck, you are just in the movie. The more I was in Ridley's presence, the more I became convinced [a sequel without Jodie could work]. I also tracked everyone's response — the press, the Internet — to recasting, and it was like, 'Pass the salt!' The question became 'Who will do it?' not 'Should they do it?'''
According to a source close to the negotiations, everyone from Ashley Judd to Gwyneth Paltrow was considered, but the race ultimately boiled down to four contenders: Moore, Blanchett, and Moore's fellow Oscar nominees Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) and Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted). After Scott met with each actress, Swank — who was deemed too young — and Jolie fell by the wayside. With her more flexible schedule, Moore beat out Blanchett.
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