Theater News

Jay-Z’s Annie Film Re-Make, Starring Willow Smith, to Begin Shooting in 2013

Jay-Z
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)
Jay-Z
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

The previously reported planned film re-make of Annie will begin shooting in New York in the spring of 2013, according to BBC News.

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who previously sampled the musical’s “Hard Knock Life” for a 1998 hit, will be writing new music for the film, which will feature a screenplay by stage and screen star Emma Thompson. The BBC also confirms that Willow Smith, daughter of Will Smith, will be starring in the title role.

Featuring music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan, Annieis based on the newspaper character Little Orphan Annie, and is receiving a Broadway revival this season. The original production opened on April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre, and went on to win and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score, among other honors, and ran for six years.

The new version will include some of the show’s original songs, while others will be cut. Exact details on which tunes remain has not been disclosed.