After years of anticipation, fans of Kristin Hannah’s bestselling novel The Nightingale are still ask the same question: Is the long-awaited movie adaptation actually happening? TriStar first announced it had optioned a screen adaptation of The Nightingale in 2015, and since then, the potential film has experienced numerous delays, including changes in production teams, scheduling conflicts, and a global pandemic. With such a beloved story at its core, a gripping tale of two sisters navigating love, loss, and survival during the German occupation of France in World War II, expectations for the WW2 movie adaptation have remained sky-high.

The project generated buzz not only for its emotional depth but also for its powerful themes of resilience and resistance. It also had some A-list talent attached, with real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning attached to play Vianne and Isabelle, the sisters in the book. However, with shifting timelines and a lack of recent updates, many are left wondering if The Nightingale will ever make it to the big screen. If you’re one of the many readers eager to see this emotional wartime story brought to life, here’s where the project stands today.

The Nightingale Not Confirmed

A Look At The Long Road To The Kristin Hannah Movie Adaptation

Although The Nightingale was once officially confirmed as a major film adaptation of the novel, its production journey has been riddled with delays, leaving its future uncertain. Momentum built quickly after TriStar was initially attached to the film in 2015, with screenwriter Ann Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) set to pen the script and Elizabeth Cantillon (Concussion) producing (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline).

This changed in 2016, when Michelle MacLaren (Game of Thrones) was attached to not only direct but rewrite the script with John Sayles. MacLaren left the project shortly afterward, but in 2017, TriStar still announced that The Nightingale would be released on August 10, 2018. In 2019, Mélanie Laurent (The Mad Women’s Ball) signed on to direct the adaptation with a script from Dana Stevens (The Woman King), and Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star.

However, like many Hollywood projects, The Nightingale was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The original release date was pushed back to December 25, 2020. Then, in April 2020, the film was briefly taken off of TriStar’s calendar before being given a new release date of December 22, 2021.

In 2021, The Nightingale‘s release date was pushed back yet again to December 23, 2022. However, Laurent was candid about the challenges of getting the film production together, telling Collider, “It’s super hard for us to find another date and to make everybody on board at the same time, so it’s a mess.“

Since then, updates have been sparse, with the only update of note being in 2023 when Elle Fanning said she wanted the project to continue. While the Fanning sisters remained attached to the project for several years, no recent confirmation has emerged regarding the film’s current status.

The Nightingale Cast

Dakota & Elle Fanning Attached To Play The Two Main Sisters

As of now, The Nightingale movie adaptation remains in a state of uncertainty, but some casting details were previously announced during its early development. In 2019, it was revealed that Dakota and Elle Fanning would portray the lead characters, Vianne and Isabelle (via THR). The film, if it’s ever released, will mark the first time the two actresses will star together on-screen. Elle is set to play Isabelle Rossignol, the fierce and rebellious younger sister while Dakota was cast as Vianne Mauriac, the more reserved older sister trying to protect her family during the Nazi occupation of France.

The Nightingale cast:

Beyond the Fanning sisters, no other cast members have been officially confirmed. With production delays stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and a long period of silence regarding updates, it’s unclear if the previously announced cast is still attached to the project. As of 2025, Sony Pictures, who owns TriStar, has not provided any confirmation on whether filming has begun or if the original casting remains intact.

The Nightingale Story

The Movie Will Likely Follow The Novel’s Story

If The Nightingale movie adaptation moves forward, it will undoubtedly follow the powerful and emotional storyline of its namesake novel, which has captivated readers worldwide. Set in France during World War II, the story centers on two estranged sisters, Vianne Mauriac and Isabelle Rossignol, whose lives are forever changed by the Nazi occupation.

Vianne lives a quiet life in the countryside with her daughter while her husband is away fighting in the war. When German forces invade, her home is requisitioned by a Nazi officer, forcing her to make unthinkable choices to protect her family. Meanwhile, Isabelle, bold and impulsive, joins the French Resistance and risks everything to help downed Allied pilots escape Nazi territory, earning the codename “The Nightingale.”

The novel explores the complexities of love, loyalty, and survival under the most harrowing circumstances. It delves into themes of female courage in wartime, the strength of family bonds, and the ways women fight in quiet and revolutionary ways. If adapted faithfully, the film would weave both sisters’ stories — Vianne’s quiet endurance and Isabelle’s defiant heroism — into a moving portrait of resistance and sacrifice. Given the novel’s emotional weight and historical backdrop, The Nightingale has the potential to become a heartbreaking cinematic experience if not one of the best World War II movies… if it ever makes it to the screen.