The Smurfs are heading back to the big screen. Eight years after Sony’s Smurfs: The Lost Village, Paramount is taking a crack at the lovable blue cartoon characters with a new live-action/animated movie. The first trailer for Smurfs has just been released, which begins with an intro by Rihanna, who is voicing Smurfette in the new movie. It’s clear from the other marketing materials released so far for Smurfs that Paramount will be heavily using Rihanna’s name and image to promote this reboot.
Although Paramount had nothing to do with the previous two live-action/CG-animated Smurfs movies that were released in the early 2010s, the studio’s upcoming reboot seems to be borrowing a key story element from them, specifically the part where the Smurfs travel from their world to our world. “When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him,” reads the official logline for Smurfs.
Ahead of the trailer’s release, Rihanna teased her involvement in the Smurfs reboot by sharing a short teaser that she captioned, “in my blue era.” However, she is not the only well-known actor who will be lending their vocals to Smurfs. The all-star voice cast also includes Roseanne and The Conners main star John Goodman as Papa Smurf and Parks & Recreation alum Nick Offerman as his brother, Ken. The cast also features former late-night host James Corden, X-Men ’97 actor JP Karliak, Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy, Amy Sedaris (The Mandalorian), Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face), Grey’s Anatomy alum Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer (The Help), comedian Nick Kroll, Ted Lasso fan-favorite Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter (Bill & Ted), Mr. & Mrs. Smith lead Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd (American Horror Story), Blue Beetle lead Xolo Maridueña, and fan-favorite actor Kurt Russell in undisclosed roles.
Smurfs will be helmed by Chris Miller, who previously directed the DreamWorks Animation movies Shrek the Third and Puss in Boots, which are both part of the studio’s Shrek franchise. The script was written by Pam Brady, whose credits include South Park and Lady Dynamite. Created by the acclaimed Belgian artist Peyo, The Smurfs were first introduced as Les Schtroumpfs in the pages of Spirou magazine. In the decades since, The Smurfs has grown into a massive franchise that includes comic books, video games, three animated series, and multiple films.
Smurfs will be the fourth American-made movie featuring the titular blue cartoon characters after the Neil Patrick Harris and Katy Perry-led The Smurfs (2011) and The Smurfs 2 (2013), and the fully-animated Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), all three of which were released by Sony. With the excitement surrounding the casting of Rihanna and the impressive voice talent assembled, anticipation is building for the film, which opens in theaters on July 18. As fans eagerly await, it’s clear that Rihanna’s role as Smurfette could bring a fresh and dynamic charm to this beloved franchise.
