Plot details regarding Star Trek boss Alex Kurtzman’s upcoming Silence of the Lambs spinoff, Clarice, have reportedly leaked online.
The Silence of the Lambs spin-off was announced back in January with Deadline reporting a pilot script had already been written for the MGM produced show. The series was initially reported to be a sequel to The Silence Of the Lambs featuring Clarice Starling and taking place in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs.
Deadline described the project as a “deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling, as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high stakes political world of Washington, D.C.”
In a statement announcing the series Kurtzman and fellow executive producer Jenny Lumet stated, “After more than 20 years of silence, we’re privileged to give voice to one of America’s most enduring heroes – Clarice Starling.”
They added, “Clarice’s bravery and complexity have always lit the way, even as her personal story remained in the dark. But hers is the very story we need today: her struggle, her resilience, her victory. Her time is now, and always.”
The alleged plot details were leaked by YouTube channel Midnight’s Edge.
Midnight’s Edge confirms Deadline’s initial reporting that the pilot takes place a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs. They detail that “Clarice is a media celebrity for her rescue of Catherine Martin and stopping Buffalo Bill.”
Midnight’s Edge continues, “For the past year she has been doing data entry by the Bureau, and has been mandated by them to attend trauma therapy after her encounter with Buffalo Bill to see if she is fit for active duty.”
“Clarice is suffering from PTSD. She doesn’t sleep well and spends more time communicating with the families of the victims of Buffalo Bill and avoids talking with Catherine Martin. So much so that Senator Ruth Martin, now the Attorney General, has pulled Clarice away from her therapy to assign her a new special agent for the violent crime apprehension program or VCAP,” details Midnight’s Edge.
The alleged details continue, “She is sent to DC to join an investigation of two murdered women. Leading the investigation is Special Director of VCAP Paul Krendler, who doesn’t think Clarice is ready for the field and lets her know it constantly. He’s her antagonist in the series. And the script suggests there is a dirty history between the two, but it’s never spoken in the dialogue so it will be up to the actors to convey this through body language.”
Midnight’s Edge continues, “The powers that be at VCAP have decided that the two murdered victims have fallen prey to a serial killer. Clarice doesn’t think so, but is ordered by Krendler to say it is to the press so they can move along with the investigation even if it makes little sense as it is currently written.”
“Clarice is then teamed up with Cuban American Tomas Esquivel, who is a few years older than Clarice and is most likely her love interest in the show. They interview the husband of one of the murdered women, Frank Bird, who is a shell of a man in the wake of his wife’s murder. He has a six-year-old autistic son and an infant daughter. He’s not the most experienced of father’s needing Clarice to teach him how to change his daughter’s diaper,” adds Midnight’s Edge.
They continue, “Later, they learn that the second murdered woman had a grandchild with autism, and that is their first connection. Before they can dig further, a third victim emerges and confirms that the mothers of the autistic children are being murdered. From here on out the investigation points towards drug companies whose products may cause autism, whistle blowing, dead journalists, and a close encounter with a hitman.”
Midnight’s Edge then notes, “Clarice shoots and apprehends this hitman, who is a manipulative fellow, but he lives and will provide Clarice with further information and maybe, just maybe, implied flashbacks to the character who in the series must not be named.”
They add, “Krendler wants Clarice to tell the press that they got their guy and to end this with the media as a win. Clarice doesn’t think this is the best course of action, but is ordered by Krendler to do it so she can go back to data entry.”
Midnight’s Edge concludes, “The pilot ends with Clarice making a public statement that they are not after a serial killer, but that she will be staying on with the investigation until she closes the book on this case. Krendler is furious with anger and Clarice ends the pilot with a small, confident grin.”
What do you make of these alleged plot details for Kurtzman’s upcoming Clarice pilot? Are you interested in seeing this?