Elle Fanning to play Effie Trinket in ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

 — Elle Fanning will be playing a young Effie Trinket in “Sunrise on the Reaping,” a prequel film in “The Hunger Games” franchise.

In the upcoming adaptation, Effie is the stylist of District 12 contestant Haymitch Abernathy (played by Joseph Zada) for the 50th Hunger Games or the second Quarter Quell.

In the main franchise set two decades later, Elizabeth Banks portrays Effie as the stylist for Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark, with an older Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) as their drunken mentor.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-president Erin Westerman acknowledged in a statement how iconic Banks made Effie and wondered who could portray the chracter during her most formative days.

“For us, there was only one answer. Elle Fanning’s career has been transcendent,” Westerman said. “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.”

Related: Ralph Fiennes to play President Snow in new ‘Hunger Games’ prequel

Fanning will join fellow younger versions of characters seen in past movies like Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan, and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow.

Newcomers to the franchise like Zada are Whitney Peak as Lenore Dave Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, and Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow.

The actress debuted as the younger version of sister Dakota’s character in “I Am Sam.” Elle continued as a child actress before landing leading roles in “Somewhere” and “Super 8.”

She also starred in “The Neon Demon,” “20th Century Women,” and “The Great,” for which she received multiple award nominations. Elle also did two “Maleficent” movies, and most recently was in the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.”

Franchise director Francis Lawrence helms the project on a script by Billy Ray. “Sunrise on the Reaping” is currently set for a November 2026 release.