**UPDATE: **It's turning into a hard-knock life for Sony, at least as far as casting Annie's boozy matron Miss Hannigan is concerned. After Sandra Bullock suggested that she was possibly steering away from the role comes official confirmation, via The Wrap, that she's turning it down. It would have been nice to see an exuberantly nasty Sandra Bullock coming over all Child-Catcher on Annie and her fellow orphans, but with such a juicy role on offer, the studio shouldn't have too much trouble finding another gifted comic actress to take on Hannigan.
After a rough start in the development orphanage, the Will Smith / Jay-Z-driven remake of Annie is finally seeing a brighter tomorrow with a director, star and other cast members attached. But what it really, really wants is Sandra Bullock to play mean orphanage owner Miss Hannigan{
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Bullock originally entered talks about the role back in March but ended up passing on the film. Now she’s back and all involved are trying to hammer out a deal.
If she does end up joining the cast, she’ll be appearing alongside Beasts Of The Southern Wild’s Quevenzhane Wallis as the titular moppet and Jamie Foxx as rich saviour Benjamin Stacks.
Will Gluck is aboard to re-write the script and direct, and Sony wants the movie shooting in the autumn for a planned 2014 release. Bullock has cop comedy The Heat set to arrive here on July 31, followed by Alfonso Cuaron's astro-drama Gravity on October 18. Next year brings Minions, the Despicable Me spin-off in which she voices Scarlett Overkill. That one is out on December 19.