A month ago we learned that Will Smith’s proposed remake of the musical Annie was still happening, but that it probably wouldn’t star his daughter Willow. Initially it had been reported that she was now “too old” for the role, but that seemed like a bit of a stretch. During a talk at Temple University, Smith later confessed that she simply didn’t want to do it. After trying to talk her into doing the movie, she told him, “Daddy, I have a better idea, how about I just be 12.” That left Sony looking for a new Annie and now they seem to have found one in Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild star Quvenzhané Wallis.

It had been rumoured a couple of weeks ago that Wallis would take over the lead role in the Annie remake, but now Sony has confirmed it with a press release. Hannah Minghella, president of production had this to say:

“With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhané Wallis is a true star and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star. She is an extraordinary young talent with an amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can’t wait for audiences to further discover her.”

It’s not entirely clear if she already has a background in singing and dancing or if she will have to be trained, but the press release explains that her favourite pastimes are “reading, singing, dancing, acting, and playing her iPod and Nintendo DS.” So there you have it. At the very least, Wallis is now a familiar name that they can use to market the movie and seems like an ideal choice. Annie is being directed by Will Gluck (Easy A, Friends with Benefits) and is aiming for a winter 2014 release. Do you think Quvenzhané Wallis has what it takes to be more than just a one hit wonder?

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