The Nightingale: Release date news, cast details, and everything we know so far about the Dakota and Elle Fanning film

The Nightingale is a forthcoming film that will mark the first time the sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning share the screen. The film is an adaptation of the namesake 2015 historical fiction book by Kristin Hannah.

Michael Morris is set to direct the film. He earlier helmed films like To Leslie and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Dakota and Elle Fanning are the daughters of Heather Joy, who was a professional tennis player, and Steven J. Fanning, a baseball player turned electronics salesman. Both of them started their careers as child artists and eventually became popular names when they turned adults.

When will The Nightingale release?

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The Nightingale is currently slated to be released theatrically in February 2027 by TriStar Pictures. The exact date of release is yet to be announced.

Dakota and Elle Fanning reunite on screen for the first time

The Nightingale stars Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. The duo had appeared in the 2001 film I Am Sam. Elle portrayed the younger version of Lucy, who was played by Dakota. Despite being in the same film, they did not share any scenes together. This marks the first film where the sisters will actually share the screen.

The Fanning sisters are also producing the film under their production banner, Lewellen Pictures. Reese Witherspoon is also financing the film through her company, Hello Sunshine, and Cantillon Company. Reese also picked the book for her book club in 2023.

What is the plot of The Nightingale?

The film is an adaptation of the namesake novel, which revolves around two sisters who are separated in France during the Second World War. The official summary note of the book reads:

"[It] tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France ― a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women."

On July 22, Sony Pictures announced the film on Instagram and wrote:

“For the first time ever, sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning are set to star in a film together in the adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s global book phenomenon The Nightingale.”

In May 2024, Dakota Fanning spoke to E! about her sister and the dynamic they share. She said:

"We have a very playful relationship, but we're not competitive. We were never competitive growing up."

She added:

”Obviously [we] have similarities. We have really different personalities too, so I think that's also helpful. We like different things. I definitely just feel fortunate to have a sister period and then to have a sister that fully understands every aspect of my life brings a sense of calm that I don't even know that I have a full understanding of just because it has always been the way that it is."

Fans of the Fanning sisters might be excited to see the duo sharing the screen for the first time. Are you excited about The Nightingale?