Elizabeth Banks Signs On for 'Hunger Games'

It’s official: Elizabeth Banks will play Effie Trinket in the upcoming Lionsgate movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games trilogy.

THR previously reported that Banks was in talks to join the ensemble cast, led by Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.

Effie is a pink-haired showbiz type who becomes Katniss’ (Lawrence) handler.

The actress joins Lawrence, Hutcherson, Hemsworth, Paula Malcolmson, Willow Shields, Amandla Stenberg, Dayo Okeniyi, Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott in the film, to be directed by Gary Ross.

Hunger Games hits theaters March 23, 2012.

Banks is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment. She has Welcome to People, Man of a Ledge and Movie 43, which she is also directing, coming down the pipeline.

Email: philiana.ng@thr.com