Smurf movie news
 

Producer Jordan Kerner told the Moviehole.net Web site that his upcoming feature-film version of The Smurfs would be computer-animated. "It's a 3-D/CG Smurfs," Kerner told the site. "You just can't make those guys live. It'd be a little weird. But a 3-D Shrek world of them—that's fantastic."

Kerner says he has been researching the popular '80s cartoon extensively. "Having seen all 234 episodes of the show numerous times, Herb Ratner and I have been working really hard at looking where all the holes were in the episodes. You know, like all of a sudden another woman appears—it's not just Smurfette—and what we've done is we've plugged all those holes in a trilogy of three movies, and we reveal things as we go along."

Kerner said it took five years to win the rights to the cult franchise. "They were very uncertain about what story we wanted to tell—we weren't going to tell them until we had the rights, either. Then we got the rights on everyone's faith that they also had an ability to veto and presented them with the treatment. They just loved it. To be told that they loved it—not just liked it—and to be told that [creator] Peyo would've loved it, is a huge blessing and a great thing to have happen."

Among other things, the trilogy will examine Gargamel's backstory. Audiences will learn more "about Gargamel and Smurf Soup and how all that began and what really goes on in that castle," Kerner said. "What his backstory really was. There’s an all-powerful wizard. ... There's all sorts of things that get revealed as we go along."

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index...ory=0&id=39013

Raph's Girl note: So it's not about the smurfs but more or less Gargamel's origin story??? Well I suppose that's an interesting idea...but I wonder who they'll get to voice the characters???

Sweet! :D I'd be less worried if the news wasn't coming from Sci-Fi. I could see them making a nostalgic children's franchise into something specifically aimed at the already-established fanbase of adults. But, if it turns out reminiscent of Shrek, that would be pretty darn good.

And there I thought the smurves were over for at least thirty years... how stupid of me.

Althought I doubt that they'll have the same impact today as they had back then. Children's tastes differ with the times they grow up with and the age of the Smurf's over.

The Smurfs are still popular in Europe. I mean, they've been around since the 50's. Even Marsupilami (remember the Disney show Raw Toonage?) has been around since then. I really wish we could have gotten an American release (even if it's a small art house thing) for the new Asterix the Gaul movie that came out this year.

Now, what I REALLY want to see is more of Peyo's vision and less 1980's Hanna Barbera. I have no idea what his comics were like, but if these movies can reflect that, I'll go and see them, no question. Just as long as it's not quite like "Smurfs and the Magic Flute." I liked that film when I was younger, but I HATED the weird voices they gave the characters. Too bad Don Messick's not around anymore. I'da loved to see him Play Papa Smurf. Same with Paul Winchil and Gargamel. Even though I did say I wanted it to be further from the American cartoon.