Dakota and Elle Fanning’s World War II drama ‘The Nightingale’ pushes back release date to March 2027
Fans who were eagerly waiting to see Dakota Fanning and her younger sister, Elle Fanning, share screen space for the first time will have to wait a little longer. The famous sisters were set to star together in 'The Nightingale,' where they will play two sisters who become separated after German troops occupy France during World War II and embark on a dangerous fight for their survival and reunion. It is based on Kristin Hannah's best-selling 2015 novel of the same name and has sold over 11 million copies in 45 languages worldwide. The period drama is directed by Michael Morris, whose film credits include the film 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' and television shows like 'Better Call Saul,' 'House of Cards,' and '13 Reasons Why.' Moreover, the film's screenplay is written by Dana Stevens, who wrote the Viola Davis-led action-adventure film, 'The Woman King' in 2022.
'The Nightingale' was originally set to hit theaters on February 12, 2027, but Sony's TriStar has now moved its release date to March 19, 2027. The film will now clash with Paramount+'s 'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' at the box office and give moviegoers a female-centric alternative in the lead-up to the Easter weekend, which will be on March 26-28 next year. In November 2025, Elle told The Hollywood Reporter that she and her sister made a conscious decision not to work together earlier in their careers to establish their separate identities. The actress said at the time, "I think it was nice that we could forge our own paths and have our separate careers and discover ourselves as ourselves when we were younger, and not muddle that. Now that we’re older, we really do want to mesh it all and experience that. We’ve never even read lines together."
The news comes days after Dakota and Elle both scored Emmy nominations for their most recent shows. Dakota bagged the nomination for 'Outstanding Supporting Actress' for her portrayal of the concerned mother, Jenny Kaminski, in Peacock's thriller, 'All Her Fault.' Meanwhile, Elle earned the nomination for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series' for her role as the down-on-luck Margo Millet in Apple TV's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles.' With the hit show also nominated for 'Outstanding Comedy Series,' both sisters also stand to win as executive producers.
The film has had a long journey to the big screen since it was initially announced in 2015. Its release date has already been moved at least four times in the last decade. After several changes and production delays, 'The Nightingale' finally kicked off production on March 29, 2026, in Budapest and is currently filming. In addition to the Fanning sisters, the upcoming film also stars Oscar winner Mark Rylance as Julien Rossignol, Shira Haas as Rachel de Champlain, Vinette Robinson, Edmund Donovan, Albrecht Schuch, Douglas Hodge, and Gwilym Lee. It is produced by Reese Witherspoon, Elizabeth Cantillon, Lauren Neustadter, Brittany Kahane Ward, and the Fanning sisters via their Lewellen Pictures.
