With a Christmas Day 2014 release date recently set for Sony’s remake of Annie, progress on the film’s production is heating up – with Beasts of the Southern Wild star Quvenzhané Wallis cast a few weeks ago for the lead role that original choice Willow Smith outgrew. The film is being produced by Jay-Z, who released an updated arrangement of the musical’s famous song Hard Knock Life in 1999 (later covered by Dr. Evil and Mini-Me in Goldmember), with Will Smith co-producing through his company Overbrook Entertainment. Emma Thompson was selected to write the script for Smith and Jay-Z’s remake in 2011.