Aline Brosh McKenna to Pen ANNIE Film Remake

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Aline Brosh McKenna has been chosen to rewrite Columbia Pictures upcoming film adaptation of ANNIE. A previous script of the remake had been penned by Emma Thompson. Brosh McKenna is best known for adapting Lauren Weisberger's best-seller novel The Devil Wears Prada. Her other writing credits include We Bought a Zoo, I Don't Know How She Does It and Morning Glory.

Actor Will Smith and recording artist Jay-Z are set to produce the film, with Smith's daughter Willow taking on the iconic title role. No director has been named. The project is described as a "hip-hop take" on the beloved comic strip character 'Little Orphan Annie.'

The original Broadway musical ANNIE was the 1977 winner of 7 Tony Awards® including Best Musical. The show's music was composed by Charles Strouse with lyrics by Martin Charnin and Book by Thomas Meehan. The musical hit the big screen in 1982 with the "Annie" film starring Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters and Aileen Quinn in the title role. In 1999, Disney produced a made-for-television movie of the stage musical starring Victor Garber, Kathy Bates, Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth and Alicia Morton as Annie.

The musical is heading to Broadway's Palace Theater this fall from Tony, Drama Desk and Pulitzer Prize-winning Director James Lapin. Lilla Crawford will play the title role, with Australian musical theater star Anthony Warlow making his Broadway debut as Billionaire Daddy Warbucks. Opening night is set for November 8.

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