Edmund Donovan Teams Up with Dakota and Elle Fanning in TriStar’s ‘The Nightingale’
Edmund Donovan Joins Dakota and Elle Fanning in ‘The Nightingale’ Adaptation
Edmund Donovan, known for his role in Late Fame, has secured a leading role alongside Dakota and Elle Fanning in The Nightingale, TriStar’s film adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s bestselling novel. This project marks the first time the Fanning sisters will share the screen.
Details regarding Donovan’s specific character remain undisclosed. Since its release, The Nightingale has captivated audiences globally, selling over 11 million copies after being translated into 45 languages. The historical fiction piece chronicles the harrowing journeys of two sisters navigating the perils of World War II in German-occupied France as they strive for survival, love, and freedom.
The novel’s success is evident, having topped the New York Times Best Sellers list and maintained a remarkable 165 weeks across various formats. It also dominated NPR’s fiction chart for 45 weeks and was featured as a Reese’s Book Club Pick in March 2023. A special 10th Anniversary Edition released in March 2025 soared to number two on the NYT hardcover list, and the book sold another million copies within just weeks of the new year.
Michael Morris, known for To Leslie, will direct the film, with a screenplay by Dana Stevens, who previously worked on The Woman King. The project is produced by Elizabeth Cantillon of The Cantillon Company, along with Elle and Dakota Fanning, Brittany Kahan Ward for Lewellen Pictures, and Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine. Nicole Brown and Shary Shirazi will oversee production for TriStar.
The Nightingale has a storied history, with TriStar acquiring the film rights back in 2015, followed by Ann Peacock’s involvement as writer and Cantillon as producer. Various writers and directors, including Michelle MacLaren and John Sayles, have since been attached to different stages of production. Initially, Mélanie Laurent was set to direct, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused several delays, leading Laurent to step back from the project.
TriStar reignited efforts to move the film forward last July under Morris’s direction, and it is now set for release on February 12, 2027.
Donovan is coming off a notable performance in Late Fame, where he starred alongside Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee, a film that received critical acclaim at the Venice Film Festival. His recent work includes the Apple Original Film Echo Valley and participation in the upcoming Sundance feature Your Monster, along with A24’s Civil War, featuring Kirsten Dunst. Donovan initially garnered attention through his role in Samuel D. Hunter’s play Greater Clements, which earned him an Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award. He is represented by UTA, Entertainment 360, and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols.
