Britney Spears To Release New Song "Ooh La La" For Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's Family Comedy "The Smurfs™ 2"

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pop icon Britney Spears will release a song for Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's highly anticipated family comedy The Smurfs™ 2, entitled "Ooh La La," via Kemosabe / RCA Records. "Ooh La La," which will play at the end credits of the film, was written by Lukasz Gottwald (Dr. Luke), Joshua Coleman (Ammo), Henry Walter (Cirkut), Bonnie McKee, Jacob Kasher Hindlin (J Kash), Lola Blanc and Fransisca Hall and produced by Dr. Luke, Ammo and Cirkut for Prescription Songs. The Smurfs 2, the sequel to the hit hybrid live action/animated film that took in over $560 million at the worldwide box office in 2011, is set to hit theaters on July 31, 2013. More information on the song coming soon.

Britney Spears added, "I have always loved the Smurfs as a kid and now my boys are the biggest Smurfs fans EVER. I wanted to surprise them with a song in the movie. I know they'll think it's Smurftastic!"

Lia Vollack, president of Worldwide Music for Sony Pictures, added, "We are completely thrilled to have Britney involved with The Smurfs. She is an amazing artist and her boys are Smurfs fans, so it's a great fit for all of us."

Raja Gosnell, director of The Smurfs 2, added, "I am very excited that Britney is joining our smurfy adventure. 'Ooh La La' is the perfect Smurf-party song, and the perfect button on the film for audiences around the world."

About Britney Spears
Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history. Her musical career boasts nearly 100 million albums sold worldwide and countless awards and accolades, including the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award and Billboard's Best-Selling Female Artist of the Decade (1998-2008). Spears first captivated audiences with her first single "…Baby One More Time," an international hit that is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S. So far, Spears has earned a total of five No.1 debut albums and 24 Top 40 songs in her career. Spears was last seen as a judge on FOX's "The X-Factor" in the US and is currently featured on will.i.am's hit song "Scream & Shout." Britney is currently working on her 8th studio album.

About The Smurfs™ 2
In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world's greatest sorcerer. It's up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus - or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue? Returning cast includes Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, with Katy Perry as Smurfette and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. Brendan Gleeson joins the cast as Victor. The film is directed by Raja Gosnell and produced by Jordan Kerner. The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn and Karey Kirkpatrick with a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss & Jay Scherick & David Ronn, based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

About the Smurfs
The story of the Smurfs - a property created by Peyo - started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more products. In all, more than 3,000 derived products have been produced and leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs. A multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!

About Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits – the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the 2011 hybrid live action/animated blockbuster The Smurfs, and the 2009 mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – with The Smurfs 2 in July 2013, and Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 in September 2013. Sony Pictures Animation, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

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About Lafig Belgium S.A.
Lafig Belgium is the owner of the rights to produce audio-visual works based on the Smurf universe and of the Smurf worldwide licensing rights (together with IMPS). Lafig Belgium is controlled by the heirs of Pierre Culliford, better known under his pseudonym Peyo, the author/creator of the Smurfs. For 50 years, the Culliford family has controlled the Smurf characters and all licenses worldwide.

SMURF, and all Smurfs characters: ©Peyo.  All Rights Reserved.  "Smurf" and "The Smurfs" are registered trademarks of STUDIO PEYO.

SOURCE Sony Pictures