“We saw so many wonderful young girls for these roles,” said producer Arielle Tepper Madover in a statement. “I wish we could have cast them all! The orphans are always a highlight of Annie and we think we have an amazing, unbelievably talented group with Emily, Tyrah, Junah, Georgi, Madi Rae and Taylor. I think audiences will fall in love with each and every one of them. We also are incredibly fortunate to have Jaidyn Young as our standby for the roles of Annie and several of the orphans. She’s enormously talented and we’re lucky to have her with us.”

Unfortunately, "T.B.D." happens to coincide with the release date of Jay-Z's directorial debut with a cinematic version of the musical, starring Will Smith's daughter Willow. Between the unknown talent of Ms. Crawford and the "Whip My Hair" singer, who do you think audiences will flock to see?

What next, then? Well, at least one project will be producing a big-screen remake of Annie, the same musical that gave him that indelible beat over a decade ago. 

And to the excitement of "Whip My Hair" fans the world over, the production will star Willow Smith, the ten-year-old daughter of "Gettin' Jiggy With It" rapper (and occasional actor) Will Smith.

The Hollywood Reporter has the dish on this new and potentially awesome Annie. What say you, Jay?

Said Jay-Z in a statement, "The Overbrook Entertainment family and I have a unified vision.  We've already produced a Tony Award winning play and we're developing a true superstar in Willow.  This venture into film development and production is a perfect next step with teams that are accomplished, creative, and innovative.”

And so everything comes full circle. Here's that immortal video, for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxtn6-XQupM

Click for Scandal Report: Champagne Mania Makes for A Boozy Golden Globes

nfreeman [at] observer.com | @nfreeman1234