Filming for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is underway and Elle Fanning is taking over the role of Effie Trinket — with the endorsement of original star Elizabeth Banks.
The newest story in the Hunger Games franchise — based on Suzanne Collins‘ best-selling novel — takes place in Panem on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the events of the first movie. In the prequel, Effie serves as the stylist for Haymitch Abernathy (played by Joseph Zada) ahead of the 50th games; Banks portrayed an older version of Effie in the series’ first four films, which kicked off with The Hunger Games hitting theaters in 2012.
At the Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, Fanning told The Hollywood Reporter that they are currently shooting and “I’m almost done with my section. Effie is on the screen now.”
As for conversations she’s had with Banks about the role, the star also revealed, “I’ve met her before and she actually was so kind and she sent me these beautiful flowers and said, ‘May the odds be ever in your favor.’ We texted a little bit. She made that role iconic and so lovable and so I hope I can live up to what she did for the fans.”
Francis Lawrence is once again at the helm of the new film, which is set to hit theaters Nov. 20, 2026. The cast also includes Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor and Ben Wang, with Ralph Fiennes as the villainous President Snow.
Fanning has previously credited fans for her landing the role of Effie, telling MTV earlier this year, “It was funny because I think fans made this happen in a way. The studio [Lionsgate] said they were getting kind of hounded online, like, ‘Elle needs to play Effie.’”
