If you have been counting down the days to see Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning on screen together, mark your calendar again. “The Nightingale” just got bumped from February 12, 2027, to March 19, 2027.
That new date lands right in the middle of spring break, just before Easter. It also throws the sisters’ World War II drama into a head-to-head fight with “Sonic the Hedgehog 4” on opening weekend.
First time on screen together
Here’s the part fans keep pointing out. Dakota and Elle have each carved out their own careers for years now, but they have never actually led a movie together. Until this one.
Michael Morris, who directed “To Leslie,” is behind the camera. Dana Stevens wrote the script.
Based on the Kristin Hannah novel
The film comes from Kristin Hannah’s novel of the same name. It follows two sisters trying to make it through Nazi-occupied France during the war.
Dakota and Elle play the siblings. As the occupation tightens its grip, the two women end up choosing very different, and very dangerous, ways to survive. One path leads through resistance, another through something closer to compromise, but both are driven by the same thing: protecting the people they love and holding onto some hope of freedom.
Expect a heavy dose of sacrifice and family loyalty, all set against a pretty bleak wartime backdrop.
Good timing, given the Emmy buzz
The timing of this announcement isn’t an accident, or at least it feels that way. Both actresses just had a strong week on the awards front.
Dakota picked up an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series, for “All Her Fault.” Elle landed her own nomination too, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, thanks to “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.”
So there’s a bit of extra momentum heading into 2027.
Who else is in it?
The supporting cast is stacked. Douglas Hodge, Mark Rylance, Shira Haas, Gwilym Lee, Albrecht Schuch, Vinette Robinson and Edmund Donovan all have roles.
On the producing side, it’s Elizabeth Cantillon, Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Brittany Kahane Ward, Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter.
A movie that’s been a long time coming
This one took a while to actually happen. Melanie Laurent was originally set to direct, but COVID put the whole thing on ice. Once things got moving again, Michael Morris stepped in and took over.
The crew ended up shooting in Budapest, and from there the project finally found its footing.
As for the book itself, it hasn’t slowed down one bit. Kristin Hannah’s novel came out more than ten years ago, and it’s still selling. In 2026 alone, it crossed one million copies sold, which tells you the story still has a grip on readers.
Now, with the new March 19, 2027 date locked in, “The Nightingale” is heading straight into a box office clash with “Sonic the Hedgehog 4.” Two very different movies, same weekend. Moviegoers will have to pick a side.