The young Oscar-nominated star of Beasts of the Southern Wild has been cast in the lead role of a new version of Annie.

Sony Pictures has announced that Quvenzhane Wallis will play Annie in a contemporised adaptation of the Broadway musical and the Little Orphan Annie comic strip.

It will be directed by Will Gluck, who loosely based his 2010 film Easy A on The Scarlet Letter.

The nine-year-old Quvenzhane is one of the youngest Oscar-nominated actors.

She's also shot a small role in Steve McQueen's upcoming film, Twelve Years a Slave.

Annie is planned for release during the 2014 holiday season.

Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Jay-Z are among the producers. The Smiths' daughter, Willow, had originally been slated to play Annie.