When a specious rumor popped up a month ago that Justin Timberlake might play Daddy Warbucks in the Will Smith-produced Annie remake, it seemed a little too odd and poorly sourced to fit. Now we've got a much more reliable source, The Hollywood Reporter, announcing some much more logical casting news. They say Jamie Foxx is currently in talks to star in the film, opposite Beasts of the Southern Wild Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis as Annie.
Foxx is currently starring in a huge upcoming Sony tentpole, this summer's White House Down, and he's also set to play Electro in next summer's The Amazing Spider-Man 2. He's of course coming off a huge star turn in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, and even showed his funnier side not too long ago in Horrible Bosses. In this updated version of the Annie story-- which originated with a Depression-era comic strip-- Foxx won't be playing Daddy Warbucks but "Benjamin Stacks," a name that conveys money without the antiquated idea of "war bucks" (and the sometimes sinister connotations of "daddy").
With Jay-Z on board to produce with Smith, and Will Gluck directing, Annie is looking like a seriously high profile project worthy of its Christmas Day 2014 release date. Jamie Foxx isn't necessarily the guy we'd expect to move on to a family friendly comedy, but given how huge his career is right now, it's hard to imagine him making a false move either. Now we really can't wait to see who they land to play the blowsy Miss Hannigan.
