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If you're a period drama fan, then there's a very good chance you've heard of Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale book. The novel, which follows two sisters in France during World War II, made waves when it was first released in 2015. There have been talks of a movie adaptation for ten years, but the conversation got even buzzier when Dakota and Elle Fanning became attached in 2019. Well, I have great news for you because we finally have a release date for the film!
Here's everything you need to know about The Nightingale movie starring Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, coming to theaters in 2027.
Dakota Fanning admits she was "nervous" about working with Elle Fanning on 'The Nightingale.'
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On a recent episode of Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, Dakota Fanning admitted just how nerve-wracking the process of working with her sister really was.
"I think Elle and I were nervous. We didn't want to admit how nervous about it we were, because it was like the little intrusive thought of, 'Is this going to be okay? Are we gonna be able to do this? Is it gonna be weird, are we gonna be laughing? What is it going to be like?'" she says.
"It was really important to us that we started the movie together to just, like, see right away. And the first day couldn't have been more normal," Dakota continues. "[Working together] couldn't have been easier, and I was like, 'Oh, it's because we spent our whole childhoods playing together and making up these scenarios and that's how we learned how to act was with each other in our playroom making up the craziest stuff."
Now if you also played pretend with your little sister as children, then you know what "craziest stuff" can entail. But Dakota offers a little bit of insight into their games...including "giving birth to Elle."
"Every time she tells that, I'm like, 'You have got to stop telling people about that. It sounds so weird,'" she says. "But, like, it wasn't. But literally, it was our favorite thing to do. So [The Nightingale movie] was just that on a bigger scale."
Where can I watch The Nightingale?
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The Nightingale is coming to theaters February 12, 2027. This is the same weekend Greta Gerwig's Narnia premieres, so if you need me that weekend, I'll be at my favorite AMC.
Who's in The Nightingale cast with Dakota Fanning?
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The Nightingale cast includes Dakota Fanning as Vianne Mauriac, Elle Fanning as Isabelle Rossignol, Shira Haas as Rachel de Champlain, and Mark Rylance as Julien Rossignol. We'll also see Edmund Donovan, Albrecht Schuch, Douglas Hodge, Gwilym Lee, and Vinette Robinson.
The Nightingale movie is very special because it's the first time that Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning will star in scenes together. The only time they've ever been in the same movies before is when Elle played a younger version of Dakota's character, so this is a huge deal for fans of this duo!
"It's really touched a lot of people," Elle shared at the Academy Museum Gala on October 18, 2025. "It's such an important story and it means a lot to a lot of people. [Dakota and I] have been attached to it for awhile and finally the schedule is going to work out that we can do it together. It's a milestone for my sister and I to work together, we've never done it before and it's the perfect project to do."
"The Nightingale will be the first time we act on screen together,” the actresses told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. “We have played the same character at different ages but have never spoken to each other in front of a camera. For years, we have looked for a film to do with one another and then this gem appeared. As sisters, to share our artistry with each other while bringing such a powerful sister story to life is a dream come true."
Is there a movie based on the book The Nightingale?
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Yes, The Nightingale movie is finally on its way thanks to TriStar Pictures, and it's coming to screens in 2027! Michael Morris will direct.
In the official Instagram announcement, the movie's account posted a photo of the book next to a tiny bouquet of lavender and the movie's script. "Can we buy tickets now?" the caption reads. "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."
What is the book The Nightingale about?
The Nightingale follows two estranged sisters in France, Vianne and Isabelle, as they try to survive the German occupation. While Vianne tries to keep her and her daughter alive after her husband is drafted and then captured, Isabelle actively defies the Germans, joining the French resistance and joining anti-Nazi movements. The story celebrates the bond of sisterhood — and the strength of the people who constantly fight for what's right.
Where is The Nightingale filming?
The Nightingale is filming in Budapest, Hungary. Production began in March 2026, and the sisters sent in a video message to CinemaCon 2026 from the set.
Was The Nightingale a real story?
This movie isn't about real people, but it is inspired by real women who resisted the Axis powers during World War II, like Andrée de Jongh, who helped Allied pilots escape occupied Belgium. "Her story—one of heroism and danger and unbridled courage—inspired me to imagine the women in that world," Kristin Hannah says on her website. "Stories about women who had saved Jewish children and rescued downed airmen and put themselves in harm’s way to save others. Women who had paid terrible, unimaginable prices for their heroism."
"In war, women’s stories are all too often forgotten or overlooked. Women tend to come home from the battlefield and say nothing and go on with their lives," she continues. "The Nightingale is a novel about those women and the daring, dangerous choices they made to save their children and their way of life."
Stay tuned for the latest news on The Nightingale, and check out Elle Fanning Remembers "Uncontrollably Sobbing" During One Of Dakota Fanning's Movies As A Kid for more on these celebrity sisters.
This post has been updated.
