AlloCiné reports that French actor Gaspard Ulliel (A Very Long Engagement) may be in talks for the starring role in Peter Webber's Young Hannibal.

Based on the new Hannibal Lecter prequel novel from author Thomas Harris, which will center on how Hannibal watched his young sister get killed and eaten by hungry soldiers in war-ravaged Lithuania during WWII. The movie will take place at three pivotal moments of Hannibal's life. It is the fourth book dealing with the Doctor, who first appeared in Red Dragon, and subsequently in "The Silence of the Lambs" and Hannibal.

Gong Li will play Lady Murasaki, Lecter's teacher after he escapes from an orphanage and runs away to Paris.

Hannibal Rising was released February 9th, 2007 and stars Aaran Thomas, Gaspard Ulliel, Li Gong, Helena-Lia Tachovská, Richard Leaf, Dominic West, Rhys Ifans, Michele Wade. The film is directed by Peter Webber.