If there was any confusion before, the first trailer for Will Gluck's upcoming Annie remake takes great pains to establish that this loose adaptation of the popular musical is set in modern-day New York City. (They even pack a George Clooney reference into the first 30 seconds.)
Beasts of the Southern Wild star Quvenzhane Wallis steps in as little orphan Annie, and Cameron Diaz is playing her cynical foster mother Miss Hannigan. Daddy Warbucks has been reimagined as Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx), a billionaire running for mayor. Though he initially befriends Annie as a PR move, he discovers a genuine affection for the young girl as they spend more time together.
All of that sounds promising — but it's much harder to get excited about the trailer's rendition of "Tomorrow," which is buried under a thick layer of auto-tune. In the end, it's going to be tough to judge this remake without seeing the total package. Fortunately, Annie will come out this year (but not until Christmas Day). --Scott Meslow