Will Smith to revive 'Annie' for daughter

[TheNickFox]

I have no problem with Will using his children in films. It's not like Hollywood casting has ever been fair anyway, might as well make it extra-not-fair.

What I have a problem with is them using the name Annie.

Confused? Don't be. If the story is striving to do away with all elements of the original except the idea of an orphan who sings and ends up doing well in the end, why not call it Oliver? If you're willing to change the race of a character, why not the gender?

This is all about cashing in on a perceivably high-grossing name.

The movies that KNOW they have a good concept, but are based on other source material don't have to mention the original in their title. They want their work to stand on its own merits, not the work of others just to help boost sales quickly. It's why The Lion King wasn't called "Hamlet: Full of Pride" and 10 Things I Hate about You wasn't called "Taming of the Shrew: The High School Years." Yes the creators of those (and more) used other materials as their inspiration, but they wanted their concept to stand on its own two feet.

There is just ZERO reason to call this Annie. The story has been told already, so why not tell a similar story...with a different name?

-Nick

 

[OldKen]

Hollywood nepotism has been around forever so no big deal there. It's also the 21st century so kudos to black success. But the sort of thing being discussed here I think is as much about race and revisionist history as it isn't. It's like Oprah Winfrey buying that plantation in Mississippi years ago and gloating about the catharsis of it.

The realities of history were exactly what they were and they cannot be changed no matter how much some may want it, nor does bad history have to be repeated, but trying to rewrite the past in order to further an agenda of multiculturalism and diversity as ends unto themselves is offensive also. Will Smith should just go and write his own story for his daughter and leave it at that...

:thumbsup

This completely explains my thoughts on the matter. A LOT more clearly than I have! :confused

I really didn't want to even post EVER again in this thread. As it is pointless. People are going to have their own POV on the situation.

My POV on this is it isn't historically accurate. They will have to completely change EVERYTHING about the character Annie.

EVERYTHING.

Especially the time period the story was written about!

Keep in mind that while it was written in the 1970's every version of the story takes place in the 1930's America.

This will end up being a COMPLETELY different story with a completely different character. The only thing it will have in common with the original is the name.

Kinda like GIJOE the movie. :sick

I like Will Smith.

I like Jada.

And their kids are adorable.

But this idea?

(to put it in todays teen lingo)

FAIL.

 

[CessnaDriver]

.........Will Smith should just go and write his own story for his daughter and leave it at that...

^
This!

In an era of too many remakes and reboots with no end in sight, that would have been a bold move.

 

[CTF]

The Fresh Princess of Bel-Air?

 

[Effingham]

I'm sorry, but Annie is not dependent on the colour of Annie's skin. Your point is flawed.

I don't think it is flawed.

Annie is, and always will be, a little white redheaded girl with big round eyes.

This is just as wrong as Will Smith himself playing Jim West in "Wild Wild West". There were no black officers in the Union army in the Civil War, and there were no black secret service agents in the 1870s. There is fantasy, and there is FANTASY. That was just plain ludicrous.

A better example than "Roots", perhaps, might be a remake of "Shaft", starring Viggo Mortensen in the title role.

But Smith's type of "recasting" is acceptable in Hollywood, regardless of the effect it has on the original material. In that mind, a couple of years ago I made a "movie poster" for a possible film version of "Hogan's Heroes":

 

[Treadwell]

This sums up my opinion of all stage and screen versions of Annie:
Saturday Night Live - Stars of Tomorrow - Video - NBC.com

 

[rodneyfaile]

It will make money, and that is all that matters to the people making movies. I guess I can't blame them. It is a business.

People have heard of Annie and will be curious about a new version, no matter who they cast.

I would rather see an original idea make it. But they will throw their marketing money behind something that feels comfortable and familiar.

I just think of all the great novels that could be great moves and have never been made.

I will probably see it on Netflix.