A prequel to Silence of the Lambs. It is the first of the 3 adult Hannibal stories (Hannibal Rising is the first where Hannibal is a child) and is followed by Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal is the last in the sequence. They were made in the order Manhunter (the previous version of Red Dragon) came first in 1986, Then Silence of the lambs(1991),  Hannibal (2001), Red Dragon (2002), Hannibal Rising (2007).

Agent Graham (Edward Norton( captures Hannibal (Anthony Hopkins) at the start of the film as a prelude, the main action revolves around Graham being recalled to enlist Hannibal's help in capturing Dolarhyde (the Tooth Fairy - Ralph Fiennes) and a postlude has Graham visiting Hannibal in jail one more time where we learn that a female agent is to visit Hannibal for help with another case - a lead in to Clarice Darling in Silence of the Lambs.