22 May - Elle Fanning is joining the cast of the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, "Sunrise on the Reaping". The actress was revealed to have been cast as Effie Trinket in the Lionsgate project, which in the prequel serves as the stylist for Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) as he prepares for the 50th Hunger Games. The character was previously portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original "The Hunger Games" films.
Erin Westerman, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president stated, "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 honour that legacy while bringing us back to Effie's early, most formative days?" "For us, there was only one answer. Elle Fanning's career has been transcendent. She has a rare presence - warm, sparkling and layered with extraordinary depth. She was the undeniable fan favourite from the start, and we're honoured she answered the call. The odds, it turns out, were in our favour," she added.
Previously announced cast members include Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Ralph Fiennes, Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor and Ben Wang.