It’s tough to recast a significant character on a television series, if only for the sake of continuity. But although Hannibal is being forced to recast one of its many twisted, demented antagonists, it’s doing so at a most opportune time: after his face was mutilated and turned into dog food. Michael Pitt, who played the demented Mason Verger on season two of The A.V. Club’s best TV series of 2014, has decided he will not return for the third season. He’s being replaced by Joe Anderson, an English actor and singer best known for his roles in Across The Universe and the Joy Division biopic Control.
No reason was given for Pitt’s departure, but, based on this photo of Anderson sporting Verger’s new visage, maybe it’s because he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life in the makeup chair:
After a well-received second season, Hannibal has already announced the return of Laurence Fishburne and Gillian Anderson. TVLine also teases the introduction of a new character, Cordell, who will serve as the now-paralyzed Verger’s personal doctor, potential henchman, and eventually, probably some of form of fancy patè at one of Lecter’s dinner parties.