`Silence of the Lambs' sequel to be made

SIR ANTHONY Hopkins and Jodie Foster are to be reunited in a sequel to the Oscar-winning film Silence Of The Lambs - although Sir Anthony, once said he would never play the role again.

Hollywood producer Dino De Laurentiis has bid a record $9m (pounds 5.5m) for the screen rights to the Thomas Harris novel Hannibal. The Hollywood movie journal Variety revealed yesterday that the deal should be finalised within days.

The previous highest price paid by Hollywood for a novel adaptation was $8m by Disney for Michael Crichton's Airframe.

Silence Of The Lambs was released to massive acclaim in 1991. Thomas Harris has spent most of the decade completing a sequel about the cannibalistic Hannibal Lecter and the law enforcement agent who befriended him.