Paul Krendler



 Paul Krendler   is the secondary antagonist of the novel and film Hannibal. He is also a minor character in Thomas Harris' previous novel, The Silence of the Lambs, and its Academy Award-winning film adaptation. In the film adaptation of Hannibal, he is portrayed by Ray Liotta, who also portrayed Ray Sinclair in Somegthing Wild; in the adaptation of Silence  of the Lambs, he is portrayed by the late Ron Vawter.

Krendler is introduced as a mid-level bureaucrat in the U.S. Justice Department who briefly takes custody of Hannibal Lecter as the serial killer is being transferred to a maximum security prison. When Lecter escapes, Krendler blames the FBI, particularly Agent-in-Charge Jack Crawford.

His role is significantly expanded in Hannibal, in which he is the immediate superior and nemesis of protagonist Clarice Starling. He conspires with Mason Verger to discredit Starling and kidnap Lecter, as part of Verger's plan of revenge against the latter.