Will Graham left the FBI after catching cannibal psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter and nearly dying in the process. Jack Crawford calls him back to hunt the Tooth Fairy, who kills families on full-moon nights. Readers meet the killer early: Francis Dolarhyde, obsessed with William Blake's Great Red Dragon painting. From his cell, Lecter sends him Will's address through a coded ad in a tabloid. Dolarhyde kills reporter Freddy Lounds, falls for his blind coworker Reba and even eats the original painting at the museum. He fakes his death, attacks Will at home and leaves his face disfigured. Molly kills him. Their marriage is left in doubt.
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4 what changed on screen
What changed on screen
ChangeWho kills the Dragon
In the book, Dolarhyde fakes his death, attacks Will's Florida home and is shot dead by Molly. In Manhunter, Will crashes through the killer's window and kills him himself. Red Dragon gives the final shot back to Molly.
Book Will ends up with his face disfigured by Dolarhyde's knife. In Red Dragon, he walks away with his face intact. The Hannibal series goes back to the book and has Dolarhyde slash his face.
The book only mentions in passing how Will caught Lecter. Red Dragon opens on that scene and adds other Lecter scenes that aren't in the novel. Screenwriter Ted Tally called it "commercial reality," and Harris pitched in with lines and ideas.
In the book, the man Dolarhyde abducts, glues to a wheelchair and sets on fire is reporter Freddy Lounds. In season 3 of the Hannibal series, that attack falls on Dr. Chilton.
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