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With Anthony Hopkins on board to reprise his Lecter role and Oscar-winning "Silence of the Lambs" screenwriter Ted Tally handling the writing chores, "Red Dragon" is attracting A-list talent. Though unconfirmed, 13th Street reports that Edward Norton is interested in co-starring as Will Graham, the FBI profiler who, much like Clarice Starling in "Lambs," turns to the incarcerated Lecter for help in tracking a serial killer. The hook with Graham is that he has a preexisting relationship with Lecter; he's the agent who originally nabbed the cannibal killer.

If this project rings a bell you've probably seen, or at least heard of, Michael Mann's "Manhunter." Released in 1986, "Manhunter" was the first adaptation of Harris' "Red Dragon," but despite being a tight, well-produced thriller, it lacked the Oscar-luster and box office clout of Hopkins. While it's unfortunate that the performances of "Manhunter" stars William Petersen (playing Will Graham) and Brian Cox (the "original" Lecter) will be overshadowed by the new "Red Dragon," the prospect of watching Norton and Hopkins trade psychological punches is enticing.

If this news gives you a sense of deja vu, you're probably a Michael Mann fan. In 1986 director Mann ("The Insider") adapted Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon" into the film "Manhunter." Starring William Petersen ("CSI"), "Manhunter" is a passable thriller that introduces the incarcerated Hannibal Lecter in a supporting role. The film doesn't match the tension and skill of "Silence of the Lambs," but it certainly doesn't deserve to be reworked a mere 15 years after it was made. Worse still, De Laurentiis actually produced "Manhunter."