Elle Fanning will act as the young Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, a new prequel set for release on November 20, 2026.
The casting reveals one of the major characters in the film, which follows the events of the 50th Hunger Games—also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
The story takes place 24 years before the original Hunger Games trilogy.
Fanning takes over the role from Elizabeth Banks, who played Effie in the original films.
Lionsgate selected Fanning for her strong screen presence, aiming to show Effie’s early years in the Capitol.
Francis Lawrence returns to direct, continuing his work from previous films in the franchise. Billy
Ray writes the screenplay.
The film adapts Suzanne Collins’ newest novel, released in 2025.
The book sold 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, more than doubling the debut sales of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Lionsgate began production planning in early 2025, shortly after Collins released the book.
The studio aims to expand the franchise’s timeline while focusing on Capitol history, district relations, and the evolution of the Hunger Games.
The film takes viewers deeper into the origins of the Capitol’s pageantry and the development of its infamous reaping ceremony.
Through young Effie’s perspective, the movie explores how Capitol traditions took shape in earlier games.
Filming is expected to begin later this year in various studio locations and select international sites, following the production blueprint of past Hunger Games films.
Dakota and Elle Fanning are full sisters. Elle is the younger one. They use their middle names
as first names, following a family tradition. They were raised in the Southern Baptist faith, and Elle finished high school at Campbell Hall in 2016.
Elle Fanning is of mixed European descent. Her ancestry includes German, Irish, English, French, and Channel Islander roots.
Elle Fanning gained fame as a child actress and rose to prominence through roles in major films such as Maleficent, Super 8, and The Neon Demon. She is also recognized for her critically acclaimed performance in the Hulu series The Great, where she portrays Catherine the Great.
Keep Reading: The Games Continue: Hunger Games Prequel Film Coming in 2026
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