It was only a Matter of Time...'SMURFS' Movie!
The Smurfs are coming to the big screen thanks to Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation. This is a show I watched right along side 'G.I. Joe' and 'Transformers'. Who knows how this movie will end up though. It will be a little strange watching these little blue creatures come to life. It will be a live action/animated movie, so they might make these things look creepy real. If I remember correctly there is only one human in the movie Gargamel. If they are throwing a live action element in the movie I assume they have reinvent the story to take place in modern time, but who knows. I just look at what they did with 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' and 'Garfield'. Here is what Variety Reports:
Best known in the United States for the long-running Hanna-Barbera cartoon, the Smurfs were created in 1958 by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, known throughout the world as Peyo. The Smurfs, originally called "Les Schtroumpfs" in French, were created for a Belgian series of comic books, first as minor characters. The villagers, known for their blue skin and small statures, spawned a line of statuettes, games, toys, theme parks and a hit TV series, which ran as part of NBC's Saturday-morning lineup from 1981-90.
Kerner said the genesis of the current project began during a holiday conversation with Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman-CEO Michael Lynton, who grew up with "Les Schtroumpfs" in the Netherlands. "He relished them as I do and suggested that it should be a live-action/CG film," he said. "(Studio topper) Amy (Pascal) felt equally that there was potentially a series of films in the making."
"Smurfs" marks SPA's first hybrid film -- a subgenre that proved popular given the success of 20th Century Fox's "Alvin and the Chipmunks" -- and is the first project to go into development since Hannah Minghella was named prexy of production for the division in April. SPE digital production prexy Bob Osher said the studio plans to rely on SPA for the film's character animation, and Imageworks -- which was recently taken off the sale block -- for its visual effects.
"The Smurfs are one of the best-known franchises, and among the most beloved collection of characters in the world," Columbia co-president Doug Belgrad said. "We're very excited to introduce a new generation to Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the other smurftastic Smurfs in all of their 'three-apple-tall' glory."
Well everyone involved seems very excited for the project. I am sure that enthusiasm will show in the movie. I don't think most kids these days even know what the Smurfs are so in a way they can reinvent it for them, and the only people that would know would be the people that grew up with it. As for me I don't really care what they end up doing with it. But I do care about what G.I. Joe will end up like, and its not looking good. Do you think they are going to add in some more girl Smurfs? I always thought is was weird that there was only one.
-Dr. Venkman