After years of speculation, there's some light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the adaptation of the book phenomenon The Nightingale.
The film adaptation of American novelist Kristin Hannah's best-selling book has been in development hell since 2015, with various changes to its production, cast, and crew repeatedly setting the project back. Now, over ten years later, there's finally concrete news regarding this long-awaited project.
For those unfamiliar with Hannah's literary masterpiece, the historical fiction novel is set between two timelines: one set in the 1990s and tells the story of an older woman who has a son named Julien and lives in Oregon. The second timeline recounts the story of two estranged European sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, who must endure unimaginable trauma to survive World War II.
This adaptation's crossroads began in 2015 when TriStar Pictures optioned the book for screen adaptation, with Ann Peacock, Elizabeth Cantillon, and Michelle MacLaren serving as writer, producer, and director, respectively. However, MacLaren departed the production, and the project halted until 2019, when French director and actress Melanie Laurent joined the team as director and Dana Stevens as screenwriter. In December 2019, it was announced that sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning had joined the project, and it was revealed that Dakota would play Vianne, while Elle would portray Isabelle.
In a joint statement released during the cast announcement, the Fanning sisters stated they were ecstatic to be working together on screen for the first time, as they had only previously played the same role but at different ages. For instance, in the film I Am Sam, Dakota played the 6-year-old Lucy Diamond Dawson, while Elle was the 2-year-old Lucy.
The sisters also shared:
"For years, we have looked for a film to do with one another, and then this gem appeared... To share our artistry with each other while bringing such a powerful sister story to life is a dream come true. We are so lucky to have our fearless director, Melanie Laurent, to guide us along on the journey. Let's do this, sister!!"
As the film's production was about to begin in 2020, the COVID pandemic forced its shutdown. In 2021, Laurent revealed in an interview that The Nightingale was delayed because coordinating everyone's schedules was proving to be extremely difficult, and that she had no plans to recast either of the Fanning sisters, as she wanted both of them in the film.
Two years later, Elle expressed interest in reviving the project, as she felt it would be an excellent opportunity for her and her sister to work together finally. She also revealed that while other projects had been presented to them during the years, they both felt The Nightingale was the right path for them.
At long last, in July 2025, it was announced that the film was officially back in production, with a release date of February 12, 2027, in mind.
While the Fanning sisters are still part of the project, the new film's director will be Michael Morris, who is better known for his directorial work in projects such as Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why, and the indie film, To Leslie.