Ridley Scott's 2001 film Hannibal, an adaptation of Thomas Harris's controversial sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, is now streaming for free on YouTube, Tubi and Pluto, 25 years after its release. The film was a commercial hit despite a fraught production, and this milestone gives audiences a chance to revisit a divisive but distinctive entry in the Hannibal Lecter franchise, now overshadowed by later adaptations such as Bryan Fuller's television series.

Producer Dino De Laurentiis optioned Harris's novel for $10 million before publication, anticipating both its graphic content and the challenges of securing MPAA approval. Original director Jonathan Demme turned down the project over its grotesque tone, leading Scott to take over after finishing Gladiator, while Julianne Moore replaced Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling with Anthony Hopkins's blessing. After several rejected scripts, including one by David Mamet, Steven Zaillian delivered the final 131-minute screenplay, resulting in a film that grossed heavily at the box office but split critics and fans over its tonal shift and altered ending.