Elizabeth Banks has officially signed on to star in Gary Ross’ adaptation of the bestselling Suzanne Collins novel, The Hunger Games. The studio has both confirmed the casting of Banks and updated the film’s official Facebook page with the names of the District 4 Tributes, relative newcomers Ethan Jamieson and Tara Macken.
All three actors join Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Dayo Okeniyi, Amandla Stenberg, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, Willow Shields, Paula Malcomson, Ian Nelson, Kalia Prescott for the science fiction adaptation. Targeted for a PG-13 rating, the film is based on the young adult novel and tells the tale of a dystopic future and the annual “Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live television.
Banks will be playing Effie Trinket, an escort for District 12 whose hair changes color radically throughout the series. In the first book, she’s described as wearing a pink wig.
The actress is next set to appear in the comedy Our Idiot Brother, targeted for an August 26th release.
The Hunger Games, meanwhile, is set for release on March 23, 2012.
