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Los Angeles, Calif., January 26, 2011 – Overbrook Entertainment partners James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have formed a joint venture with Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter to develop and produce major motion pictures. One of the projects being discussed is the re-imagination of the classic Broadway musical ANNIE as a vehicle for Willow Smith to star. The film will be developed with Sony Pictures Entertainment and produced by Overbrook Entertainment and Mr. Carter.
The partnership began over dinner with Jada, Will, James Lassiter and JAY-Z, where they decided to co-invest in the now successful beauty products line Carol’s Daughter. They continued this partnership as co-producers of the successful Broadway production Fela!, which earned a total of eleven Tony Award nominations in 2010. Additionally, Willow Smith, managed by OE Executive Miguel Melendez, signed onto JAY-Z’s record label, Roc Nation which produced her first single titled “Whip My Hair,” which has been certified Platinum. JAY-Z previously sampled the classic Annie song “It’s the Hard Knock Life” in his chart-busting single “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).”
“The time is right to bring back ANNIE to the big screen. Of course, we’re true believers in Willow’s talent and believe she will be perfect in this role,” said Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad. “Combining Willow with the Overbrook team that reimagined Karate Kid and the spectacular JAY-Z makes this a dream project. A decade ago, JAY-Z proved that the power of the underlying Broadway property remains, by showing how these songs could be reinterpreted for a new generation with Hard-Knock Life. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with our friends at Overbrook as they launch this new venture.”
“We are excited to partner together to develop and produce a wide variety of films with our longtime friend JAY-Z, with whom we share a common global vision, both commercially and philosophically, and look forward to collaborating once again with the incredibly talented executives at Sony,” said Overbrook Co-Founder James Lassiter.
Stated Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, “The Overbrook Entertainment family and I have a unified vision. We’ve already produced a Tony Award winning play and we’re developing a true superstar in Willow. This venture into film development and production is a perfect next step with teams that are accomplished, creative, and innovative.”
Overbrook Entertainment, founded by partners James Lassiter and Will Smith, is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment focused in film and television and has produced a diverse slate of both critically acclaimed and blockbuster feature films, which have generated more than $2.5 billion dollars in worldwide box office receipts and even more in home video sales. Some of Overbrook’s most successful films include ALI, HITCH, PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, I AM LEGEND, HANCOCK, SECRET LIVES OF BEES, and most recently THE KARATE KID.
Roc Nation is a groundbreaking, multi-tiered, multi-genre music and entertainment company. Founded in 2008 by Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter in collaboration with Live Nation, Roc Nation encompasses artist, songwriter, producer and engineer management; music publishing; touring & merchandising; new business ventures; and a music label.
The Broadway musical “Annie” is based upon the popular comic strip and features songs with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. The show originally penned on April 21, 1977, and immediately became a hit, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In 1982, Columbia Pictures released a film adaptation directed by John Huston and starring Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters, Tim Curry, and Aileen Quinn as Annie.
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WAAAAAAH. Not another remake, Hollywood. waaaaaaaah. You’re ruining a classic. Waaaaaaaaah. What’s with blacks remaking all these classic movies? Waaaaaaaaaah. Waaaaaaaaah. [/irrational whiny, jealous internet bitching]
This looks interesting and I look forward to the update. I predict a hit.
Not to snark about a young kid, but hasn’t Willow Smith expressed in several interviews her intent is to “be famous” like her brother who got do be in a movie? Someone teach these kids about the art of their craft. That aside, I’m interested in the project.
This sounds exciting, although I think Annie is a TV movie at best. But Willow is def a star. The kids love her.
This comment is directed to Come on… She is a baby, not an ivy league graduate, or even a seasoned veteran of the business… Why don’t we give her a little more time to formulate grown statements that stimulate your intellect… For now, why don’t we just cheer her success and chuckle at her innocence… I am sure if she is half as articulate as her mother AND father, she will give us many years of intelligent comentary about the art of her craft… We complain when they grow up too fast and now we complain when they act their age?! Come On!!!
So you’re getting offended by a nine-year-old girl saying she wants to be famous. Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that there are millions of kids who would love to be famous. Willow and Jaden just have a genetic boost of sorts.
Or take a cue from young Fanning girls, young Jodie Foster, even Hailie Steinfeld…
This is Hollywood nepotism at its absolute worst. You want to turn your kids into stars, go for it. Do you have to maul and pillage classics in the process? For shame.
It’s time for America to stop showing up at remakes, boots, imaginings, etc. Only if we refuse to see board game movies several times over will these abhorrent studio crap factories see the light.
You’re just jealous that YOUR kid can’t make his/her own money in the millions and therefore be ready to retire in 20 years. Every parent should put their kid out to work at age 9.
….ah yes, retire at 20,rehab/arrest/rehab…OD at shady motel off Sunset. Thefamily has enough $$$…I see bad things, Mom & Pop seem to have it together more than most in or out of Hollywood. Send the kids to a normal school, out of HollywoodLand…let them learn something besides being told how great you are. Let them take classes in film/theatre/acting…but learn something besides playing pretend all your life.
Ever hear of federal and state labor laws??
What is there to be jealous about, Will and Jada are a disgrace to African American people. If Willow had the talent and the singing ability I could understand and would sympathize with the Smith’s actions, but Willow don’t seem to have any talent for singing or acting. Why not open an audition for talented black girls. It’s all about Will and Jada’s huge ego. They are both ego tripping expanding themselves with their money, status,star power and promotion of their off spring. I only hope that the African community reward them in same, and not turn out to see Will’s little ego maniac dance and sing.
@floretta54: Excuse me, but how is the Smith family a disgrace to Afro-America people? They are successful, smart, and they love each other quite well. By any standard, that’s a great family right there. If you are angry because Jaden was the Karate Kid and his sister will be Little Orphan Annie, then you are being quite silly and need to rethink what is being disgraceful and what is not being disgraceful (Will and Jada being Moonies and Republicans notwithstanding.)
And also, this is not a remake of Little Orphan Annie as it is the fifth or sixth filmed version of this character (there was also an animated TV movie pilot, Little Orphan Annie’s A Very Animated Christmas, in 1995, but two movies with this character were made in 1932 and 1938, long before the 1982 and 1999 film versions that were based on the musical!)
So, your slam at the Smiths is wrong, as is your mistaken bullcrap assumption about this movie being a remake-I’ll chalk this one up to prissiness at the Smiths being successful, and hope that you calm down and figure out what to do with your life, or seek counseling.
@floretta54 you are such a hater and loser! Also, your generalizations about race are pathetic when you look at the white actors that got fame DUE TO FAMILY CONNECTIONS! You seriously need to get a life. White actors get help from their families to become famous too! Angelina Jolie’s father is a famous actor he helped her to become famous! Drea Barrymore is from a very famous family she had connections. Nicolas Cage is related to Francis Coppola and Sophia also got connected as well. Hollywood is all about nepotism! So why get upset about Willow Smith?
The first thing is that we as adults are still looking at this as part of black and white, money is green it will help the economy not about black or white. American people are so stuck on this black and white the color of skin??? Com-On America!! We do not pull together??Thts why countries like china will all ways be far more advance ! Beside kids like Miley Cyrus, Justin Biber,Justin Temberlake,Brittney Spares,the list goes on it is about making money that is it!
look at it this way how many wealthy people do you see with poor people unless you see them signing a check for what ever the cause may be? John D Rocker feller said in order to stay wealthy you live wealthy you always invest in wealthy project,it would be like me trying to come up with my version of coke or apple phone it is already been done they have that market cornered.
Let get over it and stop harvesting anger, go run a marathon win best employee ?
And stop feed your negative energy towards people who are not looking at you but looking pass you! Hint-hint!
THIS REMAKE IS GOOD TO KEEP THE CLASSIC MOVIES ALIVE. I WORK IN A SCHOOL AND I TRIED TO INTRODUCE THEM TO “ANNIE” BUT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED AT ALL. MAYBE THE YOUNGER GENERATION WILL LEARN TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE THE ORIGINAL MOVIE IF A CLASSIC IS REMADE TO FIT THIS GENERATION. I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE REMAKING MOVIES!
I agree 100%… Gen X is all about notepads, cell phones, texting, tweeting, facebooking etc. To remake a classic in today’s times would be very beneficial for students. It would definitely make it easier for teachers to get across to their students.
But I do think it’s good to remake classics. Keep them alive. I know classic fanatics wouldn’t agree, but everyone young & old should be able to appreciate a good movie I’m a movie person so I like to compare/contrast remakes. Makes for a good conversation over dinner or whatever.
You’re an ass! Blacks can remake any movie they want. Saying only whites can remake classics is just your stupid opinion.
This is a bad idea.
These classic remakes need to STOP. They’re classics for a reason, meaning THEY CAN’T BE TOUCHED. How many classic remakes is Will Smith going to shove his children into the starring roles? His poor kids are going to be fame whores.
Annie doesn’t need an urban remake with Jay-Z’s name on it a la “The Wiz”
They’re creative enough to invent something else for the Smith family to star in.
Let’s leave Annie alone.
Is Jaden playing Annie? That is the only way this will make money.
Did you read?
Surprisingly… this is a great idea, and will probably end up being a great picture.
You may enter show business with some stupid nickname or street name like The Rock, Jay-Z or Snookie but when you start to get famous you want people to know your real name, don’t you Shawn?
Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter did not write this article you idiot. When professional writers write articles, they always put celebrities full names with their stage name in the middle, if they have a stage name. Ever since his first album, Reasonable Doubt, he has had his full name in the credits of songs and things alike. Dumbass.
You had your “fun” with KARATE KID (which was NOT about Karate btw, but Kung Fu–being set in China and the fact that that was marketed as such still pisses me off)—leave Broadway shows alone, please! We get it, your kids are talented. How about something original rather ruining something else that is deemed a classic.
Oh! enough aready with the “it wasn’t karate” bullshit. It’s a fucking movie, jesus christ. Get over yourself.
u obviously have no vision, i think the new generation is gonna love the re-make like buddy said its only a movie…
wow such pathetic whining. the karate kid was a great movie a family movie of which kids loved so why do so many adults feel the need to complain, when they never bothered to watch it?!
Will jay Z be playing Daddy Warbucks? I love remakes with soul. This could be like The Wiz.
I wonder if it might end up being Will Smith himself. He did star in Pursuit of Happyness with Jaden as HIS father. I imagine he’d want to do the same thing for what will likely be a box-office hit for his Willow, too.
Then it would have to be set in 2012, and not in the Dirty Thirties, which would piss off the purist fans even more (not that anybody should care anyway.)
I loved “The Wiz,” so I am holding out hope.
Be aware that The Wiz movie was a flop due to the casting of the main character of Diana Ross as Dorothy, and something similar may happen with this project (let’s hope not.)
So you have a problem with them making the characters black Jon? You don’t like seeing black people on screen? It seems you’re suggesting changing the race of the leads will hurt the movie. Who cares what race the characters are! A great story will trump everything else!
Oh please. Let kids be kids, they grow up fast enough and those years never come by again.
Hi my name is Will Smith and I’d rather whore out my children than give a role to an real actors.
that was very mean.
You said what I was thinking, just much funnier.
I would be thrilled by this collaboration if it meant more work for the often-overlooked non-white talent. Unfortunately, it seems that it will only benefit the Smiths and Beyonce.
THIS is why there’s no “diversity” with the Oscar nominations. The few non-whites who are in a position to create the Oscar-quality work for non-white talent focus instead on self-aggrandizement (Oprah Winfrey) or nepotism (the Smiths.)
So sad.
Her hair whipping song gives me convulsions. I’m petrified of what the “reimagining” of “Tomorrow” will sound like.
great, another remake ruined.
wake me when they cast Jada as Miss Hannigan
Can’t wait to see Jay Z get taken to the cleaners Hollywood style…
Let’s how all the “street smarts” he earned in the hood selling drugs to kids and prostitutes turns him another buck.
If you know anything about JayZ anything he touches goes platinum. And if you knew anything about the “Hood” and real “Hustlers in the street” let me school you, real Hustlers dont talk about it, they are about it.
So, again if you knew anything about JayZ, you would know that he isnt a “street” Hustler, he is an entrepreneur, that is the difference, hommie.
Nepotism at work. Next he’ll remake “Benji” and put his dog in it.
I adhere to the “If you got it, flaunt it” school — Will Smith is the only actor in Hollywood who can guarantee a greenlight. Why shouldn’t he share some love with his family? That aside, your “Benji” remake might be one of the funniest f***ing comments I’ve read on here.
That crack about remaking Benji and putting his dog in the lead role was funny. But check this out. The Smith’s are doing what a family with a “family business” does–Teach the children to grow up to run the family business. When Joe Blow who had a multimillion dollar law firm had kids, they were educated so that one day they would take over the firm. Now you probably dont have a problem with that so how can you have a problem with The Smiths letting their children get their start at mom’s and dad’s place of business. Get real. If you could you would. Where you from? Hater Nation?
I see an Oscar here……Oscar Madison!
Haters gonna hate. This project is absolute genius and anyone who says differently needs to stop chugging the haterade. It’s going to make an absurd amount of money and we all know it…because it’s AWESOME.
You can’t have “genius” without originality. It’s a silly assumption you’ll find on the part of certain celebs and sycophants that popularity equals genius. Gaga may have a good heart but she’s basically window-dressing and platitudes, and Kayne isn’t some ocean of perspective just because he decides to steal (er… sample) obscure songs as opposed to popular ones. On the topic of rap, how can you be a genius when all you do is talk about yourself?
Anyway, cut the overuse of “genius” or go apply at a PR firm.
Nothing against changing the race on any characters EXCEPT ANNIE. Red hair. It’s a MUST. That makes the spunky character who she is! For every race hater, I guess there’s a ginger hater too.
Ah, Nepotism, Hollywood be thy name.
Yeah, i felt they same you did when i found out about the following people:
Jeff Bridges, Drew Barrymore, Nicholas Cage, Angelie Jolie, Jason Reitman, Miley Cyrus, Jake Gyllenhall, Sofia Coppola, Casey Affleck, Keifer Sutherland, Lorraine Nicholson, Tori Spelling, Liv Tyler, Ben Stiller, Christian Slater, Hillary Duff, Charlie Sheen etc etc etc etc. In other words … get over it.
I to don’t like the re-imagining thing. However its going to get made and Will Smith has a track record for success (even Seven Pounds). What gets me from this board and others is how race is always an issue when a minority performer/artist. Let it go. Besides have you been to a adoption center, homeless center or group home for kids? There are a lot of minority children in that system. Sad to say in this day in age but the story of Annie still fits today.
I used to like the Smith’s, but their intent to destroy the childhoods of their kids has seriously turned me off them. These kids don’t attend school, don’t hang out with friends, and instead make movies and pop videos.
This will only end badly. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.
(Sigh) You are so right and you can’t even suggest it to them or they (Will & Jada) will turn on you.
They dress the boy like a girl and the girl like a boy, the won’t hire blacks then berate the whites they hire like maniacs.
I can already hear the piano music on the E! True Hollywood Story.
Anon, like David, you are full of shit.Making up nonsense only makes you look foolish.
and they also need 2 wait 4 the movie 2 come out because this could just be as good as the original. all those haters just stop with the rude comments.
Snarking aside. Has Will Smith made anything that’s failed recently (Seven Pounds aside) ? Not too thrilled about the idea, would rather them come up with original stories, instead of “black versions” of classics. Nonetheless, he earned the right to make what he wants
@hackey- How about as you get older and more mature you evolve. What just because you’re a rapper you can’t grow up ?And to lump him with a B action star & a no talent hussy is insane, I’m only a semi- fan of his music, but his business sense is something to admire
Yes the super hero movie failed. It made money but it let don his fans and they abandoned him. That’s why he’s hasn’t made a new film and is eying remakes. See, the CAA asses have just been riding the train with no plan now they will whore him out until he fires them.
Seven Pounds wasn’t a failure… it made $165million in cinemas worldwide off a $55million budget. Hancock was FAR from a disappointment.
And I strongly doubt he does whatever CAA tells him to. He’s the biggest star on the planet still. Ain’t changing any time soon.
Wow! easy there Jonny boy. You’re angry, we get it. You’re not as successful as you would like to be, we get it. Bitch about the movie all you want, but those kids are nothing close to ugly. BTW what’s your beef with black people?
Why is everyone being so negative?
When will the age of cynicism END??!!!
I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I believe this will be a super hit for Sony. I’m not down with Willow being Annie though (which I am sure is going to happen). I would hope that Daddy Warbucks was Ving Rhames too simply because Ving is straight comedy.
All that being said, I give Will/Jada credit for identifying the right properties to totally rape and pillage for their progeny. If nothing else they seem to have a keen sense for what can work. Or is that Stovitz/Lassiter. Saying Mendez manages those children is hilarious too.
God knows Overbrook isn’t trying to create anything new and innovative.
Whoops, I meant Melendez. Don’t let that typo get in the way of Grade A snark.
didn’t chelsea handler already talk about this “news” and willow possibly serving as the ever precocious annie? it all just sounds too horrific to stomach
“Annie” is just “Oliver” in drag. What they ought to do is remake “Oliver” and set it in the South Bronx.