Abstract

This talk examines the ongoing fan practices surrounding the television series Hannibal (NBC, 2013–2015) to explore how contemporary horror fandom complicates dominant assumptions about horror audiences. Traditional conceptions of horror fandom—particularly those shaped by classic horror cinema—often foreground masculinised spectatorship, an affective investment in fear, and identification with monstrous violence. In contrast, Hannibal’s fandom demonstrates a markedly different constellation of practices, values, and demographic visibility.
Drawing on fan-produced texts, online discourse, and recent survey responses, this research highlights how Hannibal fans engage in the queering of narrative, character, and affect. Central to this engagement is an aesthetic and character-driven appreciation of the series’ antagonist, Hannibal Lecter, whose violence is reframed through beauty, intimacy, and emotional depth, positioning Lecter as an object of emotional and ethical complexity. Fans frequently prioritise relationality, moral ambiguity, and homoerotic subtext, transforming the series into a site of queer meaning-making that exceeds authorial intent.
Furthermore, this fandom is notable for its strong presence of female, non-binary and queer fans, challenging the gendered expectations often associated with horror consumption. While earlier portrayals of Hannibal Lecter—most notably Anthony Hopkins’ performance in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)—also generated devoted audiences and moments of villain-centric fascination, Hannibal’s fandom marks a significant shift in how such attachments are articulated and sustained. By examining Hannibal’s fandom, this talk argues for a broader understanding of horror audiences—one that recognises queer, feminist, and affective modes of engagement as central rather than peripheral to contemporary horror culture.