Hunger Games Sequel: Franchise Star Teases Major Update Fans Have Been Waiting For
Elle Fanning ignites fresh buzz for the franchise with a production update on her Effie Trinket debut in prequel The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Quick update for the Hunger Games crowd: Elle Fanning says she wrapped her work on Sunrise on the Reaping, which means Effie Trinket is officially back in the mix. Yep, Effie in a prequel set decades earlier. That is a choice, and I am curious.
"Well, I'm done filming it, so that's done. Effie's on the screen, which is super cool."
Where this prequel fits in the timeline
Sunrise on the Reaping adapts Suzanne Collins' recently released novel and jumps back 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's story. We're talking the 50th Hunger Games, a.k.a. the Second Quarter Quell. It digs into how the Games evolved into the Capitol's must-see televised bloodsport, with Francis Lawrence back in the director's chair.
Fanning on stepping into Effie's heels
Fanning clearly knows she's walking into a role Elizabeth Banks made iconic. She basically bowed to Banks' version, raved about the costumes, and said her goal is simple: make the fans proud. She also kept it short and sweet on set vibes: Francis is great, the cast is great, and she had fun.
Who is in this thing
- Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket
- Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
- Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird
- McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner
- Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee
Release timing
No date yet. With Fanning finished and post-production underway, late 2026 is the window to watch.
The extra scheduling flex
Fanning called it a whirlwind November for a reason: she's also celebrating two movies landing the same weekend, Neon's Sentimental Value and the sci-fi thriller Predator: Badlands. That is some stacked calendar energy.