Hannibal (film) realized that Zaillian was "exorcising the 600 pages of the book. He was distilling through discussion what he was gonna finally do ... Frankly I could have just made it." It was unclear if Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling) and Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter) would reprise their respective roles for which they won Academy Awards in "The Silence of the Lambs" (best actress/actor). It became apparent that the producers and the studio could do without one of the original "stars" and would go on to find a replacement. The withdrawal of both Foster and Hopkins could possibly have been terminal for
Hannibal (film) as James Bond for instance? A character who is replaceable?' Or was Jodie Foster Clarice Starling, and the audience will not accept anyone else?" Foster said in December 1999 that the characterization of Starling in "Hannibal" had "negative attributes" and "betrayed" the original character. Foster's spokeswoman said the actress declined because Claire Danes had become available for Foster's own project, "Flora Plum". Salary demands may also have played a part in Foster's non-participation. De Laurentiis said, "I call the agent of Judy [sic] Foster. He say to me 'I have instruction. She no want to read the script if you