NBC renews ‘Hannibal’

Looks like Hannibal Lecter has a few more dinner parties to look forward to.

NBC announced Thursday it has renewed its drama “Hannibal,” centered on the iconic villain who grew to prominence following the 1991 film “The Silence of the Lambs,” for a 13-episode second season. Though no premiere date is in place yet, the network said the new season will roll out “no earlier than midseason.”

The Bryan Fuller blood-splattering series, based on the famed characters from the Thomas Harris novel “Red Dragon,” made its debut in the troubled Thursday at 10 p.m. slot to a promising 3.4 million viewers — the slot’s best performance for the network in more than a year, and a welcome distraction from the disastrous performance of its predecessor “Do No Harm.”

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It’s currently averaging 4.7 million total viewers and a 2.0 rating in the advertiser-desired 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen. The midseason replacement, which stars Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen, is currently in the middle of its first season, with its finale airing June 27.

“We’re so proud of Bryan’s vision for a show that is richly textured, psychologically complex, and very compelling,” NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke said in a statement. “There are many great stories still to be told.”