Above: ANNIE in its original Broadway production

The latest news on the Annie reboot is that Emma Thompson will write the screenplay and that Jay-Z is very keen on setting it in Detroit. Also – and this can only count in the film’s favour – Ryan Murphy, who was attached to the project, has stepped down from the film.

Word on the street is that it will be based on the comic strip, rather than Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan’s musical, and that Jay-Z will be writing original songs for Willow Smith to belt out as Annie. Apparently everything has to be on track by November, or Smith might get too old.