NBC orders second season of 'Hannibal'

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., May 30 (UPI) -- NBC says it has ordered a 13-episode second season of its U.S. crime drama "Hannibal," starring Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne and Hugh Dancy.

Season 2 will premiere no earlier than mid-season, the network said.

"Hannibal" is based on the characters from the novel "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris. It was developed for television by Bryan Fuller, who also serves as writer and executive producer.

The show is about FBI investigators solving homicides with the help of a brilliant psychiatrist who they initially don't realize is also a serial killer.

The renewal announcement was made by NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke Thursday.

"We're so proud of Bryan's vision for a show that is richly textured, psychologically complex, and very compelling," Salke said in a statement. "There are many great stories still to be told."