Elle Fanning has joined Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” as Effie Trinket, the Capitol stylist played by Elizabeth Banks in the original “Hunger Games” series.
Set a quarter-century before the original series, “Sunrise on the Reaping” tells the story of how Haymitch Abernathy, the future mentor to Katniss Everdeen, became the first District 12 resident to win the Hunger Games.
Elle Fanning joins a cast led by Joseph Zada as Haymitch and also includes Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Ben Wang and Ralph Fiennes.
“From the moment Suzanne released the book, one question echoed from fans around the world: Who will play Effie? Elizabeth Banks made her iconic—so who could honor that legacy while bringing us back to Effie’s early, most formative days? For us, there was only one answer,” Lionsgate motion picture group co-president Erin Westerman said. “Elle Fanning’s career has been transcendent. She has a rare presence—warm, sparkling, and layered with extraordinary depth. She was the undeniable fan favorite from the start, and we’re honored she answered the call. The odds, it turns out, were in our favor.”
Francis Lawrence will direct from a screenplay adaptation by Billy Ray. Color Force’s Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will produce. Cameron MacConomy will executive produce.
Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien are overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Robert Melnik negotiated the deal for the studio.
“The Hunger Games” has been Lionsgate’s most successful franchise, with five films that have grossed $3.3 billion at the global box office. “Sunrise on the Reaping,” written by series author Suzanne Collins, was published in March and has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide already.
Fanning most recently appeared opposite Timothée Chalamet in the Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” and will next appear in Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” which premieres at Cannes this week. She will also star in the Apple TV+ series “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and in 20th Century’s “Predator: Badlands” in theaters this fall.
Fanning is represented by UTA, TFC Management and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
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