“Hannibal” will be a little late for dinner, as NBC announced that the third season will premiere in early June.
That bit of news got third billing in NBC’s summer schedule announcement, which seemed more excited about the returns of “American Ninja Warrior” on May 25 and “America’s Got Talent” on May 26, and the debut of the David Duchovny vs. Charles Manson series “Aquarius” on May 28.
The ’60s-set “Aquarius,” which co-stars Gethin Anthony (Renly from “Game of Thrones”) as Manson, will have a two-hour premiere on Thursday the 28th, from 9 to 11. The following Thursday, June 4, “Hannibal” returns for season 3 at 10, in the timeslot where it aired its first season. The difference is that NBC is treating the show – which it gets on the cheap due to a creative business arrangement with Gaumont – as summer product, rather than trying to live with its tiny ratings in-season.
Also, with Gillian Anderson now a “Hannibal” cast regular, that means a Thursday night “X-Files” reunion of sorts this summer. The truth is out there, and it involves serial killers.