A big budget remake of the classic film Annie produced by Will Smith and starring Willow Smith is in the works and Jay-Z is expected to write new songs for the film reports All Hip Hop.  

Jay, who sampled a song from the soundtrack to Annie for his seminal hit "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" in 1998, signed Willow Smith to his Roc Nation label in 2010 off the strength of her single "Whip My Hair."

Although a director for the film has yet to be named, the elder Smith shared that the film will have an updated script with the title character set in present day New York City.  

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