Annie Film Re-Make

So I recently did a show with someone who has connections to the new "Annie" Film with Willow Smith, and this is basically the cast list.
Annie- Willow Smith
Ms.Hannigan- Wanda Sykes
Rooster- Wayne Brady
Daddy Warbucks- Samuel L. Jackson
Grace Farrell- Janet Jackson or Phylicia Rashad


Should be a good movie I suppose... though I think the cast is a little to typical...

You'd think they'd want bigger stars.

No reason. Both films have their flaws, but children seem to adore *both* movies, and that's the main point. Sure, keep on reviving it on stage, but...

Oh, do not even insult Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan. That was the Platonic ideal of comedic performances. The whole movie was also great, even if it was somewhat bloated in spots. Ann Reinking's dancing? Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters working the hell out of those roles? Albert Finney? It was fabulous. The 1999 one also had a fabulous cast, and yes, was truer to the stage version, but it was too dark in places for my taste. Bates' Hannigan was less funny than abusive/creepy. And I love Audra McDonald to pieces, but given the era, Warbucks' having a black personal assistant and then a black girlfriend/wife didn't make much sense.

Anyway. This new version looks like a loser to me. Can't deal with Wanda Sykes, hm-mm.

exactly
like i feel like the conversation went
willow- "Dad, even though its a girl for a whie role, I wanna play annie"
Will- "Okay hunny, ill buy you into that movie and cast the regular people to boost ticket sales"

come on... i just feel like this is so stupid

I would unironically be excited for this movie if they ditched the Great Depression and set it in Harlem, circa 1992. Children languishing in a corrupt and over-burdened social welfare system, adults all too willing to view those children as mere meal tickets (or worse), and the plucky orphan girl with an indelible attitude who escapes her plight thanks to a healthy dose of White Guilt? That's Oscar-bait, friends; "Precious: The Musical."

Before you scoff, these are the Smiths we are talking about. They remade The Karate Kid without any karate.

After seeing the National Theatre's FRANKENSTEIN recently, I may be turned off to color blind casting for good.

When writing a story and developing characters, race and place matter with very few exceptions.

I agree with the poster above -- if they slipped the time period to something more current, it could work.

"I know the recession's... repressing?"

Well, maybe not...

Updated On: 3/25/11 at 02:57 AM