Elle Fanning Cast as Effie Trinket in Upcoming Hunger Games Prequel Film

Los Angeles, CA – May 20, 2025 – Elle Fanning has been officially cast as Effie Trinket in the forthcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. This film serves as a prequel to the original Hunger Games series, exploring the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, set 24 years before the events of the first film.

Fanning will portray a younger version of Effie Trinket, a character originally brought to life by Elizabeth Banks in the 2012 The Hunger Games and its sequels. In this new installment, Effie acts as the stylist for Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada, during the preparation for the 50th Hunger Games, which Abernathy ultimately wins.

The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who also helmed previous Hunger Games movies, with a screenplay adapted by Billy Ray. Production is led by Color Force's Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. The cast includes notable names such as Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, and newcomers Molly McCann and Iona Bell portraying Louella and Lou Lou, respectively.

Erin Westerman, co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, expressed enthusiasm about Fanning’s casting, highlighting her "warm, radiant, and filled with extraordinary depth" presence and noting that she was the clear fan favorite to take on Effie's early and formative years. Westerman emphasized the challenge of honoring Elizabeth Banks' iconic portrayal while bringing a fresh perspective to the character’s origins.

The prequel film is based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel of the same name, which achieved remarkable commercial success, selling 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week—more than doubling the initial sales of the previous prequel novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Elle Fanning, an Emmy-nominated actress known for her roles in Maleficent and the Oscar-nominated A Complete Unknown, will add this major franchise role to her growing résumé. The anticipation among fans is high as the film promises to delve deeper into the lore of Panem and the early dynamics of the Hunger Games universe.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.