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• Marvel Studios' Avengers Tower has a new name, and with it comes a darker meaning for the MCU
• MEMBERS ONLY: Watch NBC's Hannibal reunion panel with Mads Mikkelsen & Hugh Dancy from Seattle's ECCC 2025
• Everything we've seen, done, played, and bought at Seattle's Emerald City Comic Con 2025 (so far)

What’s the deal with Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham? Even after seeing the characters interact for 3 seasons on Hannibal, their relationship is still an enigma. Are they friends, soulmates, adversaries, or all the above?

(Not to mention that “almost kiss” from the series finale.)

It’s been almost a decade since the series ended, and we’re still unpacking the nature of their relationship. However, Mads Mikkelsen (who played Lecter) and Hugh Dancy (who played Graham) think they have the answer.

“I think they are on each other’s case from the very get-go,” Mikkelsen says during the Hannibal panel this weekend at Emerald City Comic Con 2025. “They read each other like open books, but they get surprised down the line. And I think that’s the beauty of it. It’s a cat and mouse game constantly, and they thoroughly enjoy it, both of them.”

“Obviously, I’m on top of the game. Most of the time,” Mikkelsen jokes. “There’s genuine affection for each other. I mean, there’s a great fascination with this character from Hannibal’s side. Great fascination. He sees unique potential in this young man.”

“It’s true that obviously they immediately lock on to each other,” Dancy says. “But actually, at the beginning, I think Will is kind of annoyed by Hannibal. He shows up the motel, and he just doesn’t want to be in therapy either.”

Dancy also noted that Lecter was a blind spot for Will, since he’s been trained to spot killers. “Obviously, for somebody who is gifted at seeing people like this, he completely fails to see what’s right in front of me,” Dancy says.

“The skulls on the table could have given it away. The three-piece suit, the funny accent,” Mikkelsen teases

“The relationship is, from Will’s perspective anyway, from that first season, is one of confusion a lot of the time. That’s what I liked about it,” Dancy concludes.

You can watch A Taste for the Unforgettable: Hannibal Reunion with Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy from ECCC 2025's Main Stage powered by Xfinity for yourself as part of Popverse's all-encompassing coverage of Emerald City Comic Con 2025. Be there from anywhere.

Here's how to watch the Hannibal movies and TV shows in order.