We're promised the first trailer tomorrow, but in the meantime here's the first poster for Will Smith and Jay-Z's reimagining of Annie. There are no images from the film itself yet, but the red-and-white recalls the li'l orphan's outfit as ingrained in popular culture, and there's a reworking of the tried-and-tested logo, given a slightly Fame twist. The "hard knock life" line is perhaps the most famous lyric from the Annie songbook, and not new to Jay-Z, who sampled the choon extensively on his 1998 Ghetto Anthem.
An emphasis on tradition and brand-recognition so far then, but otherwise this may not turn out to be quite the** Annie** you remember, according to the new synopsis. The new version updates the story to present-day New York. Annie (Quvenzhane Wallis) is now described as a foster kid rather than an orphan, with the dastardly Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) her "mean foster mom" instead of an orphanage matron. BIllionaire Daddy Warbucks has become New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx), with Grace Farrell (Rose Byrne) his campaign advisor.
Bobby Cannavale and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje provide further support. Will Gluck (Friends With Benefits) is the director, and also had a hand in the screenplay. Smith and Jay-Z are the drivers of the film (Smith originally envisioned it as a starring gig for his daughter Willow), and, as the poster trumpets, Annie is out at Christmas. Check back tomorrow for a real indication of how it'll look and sound.