LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of the live-action/CG-animated 3D movie "The Smurfs," set for release July 29, 2011, My Idol Pops, LLC is cooking up licensed confectionery products.  A leading, premium confectionery manufacturer, My Idolpops is unique in that it uses custom-designed proprietary molds to create pops that exhibit the actual shape of licensed brands, and film and television characters.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110419/LA85951)

The Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen in Columbia Pictures'/Sony Pictures Animation's hybrid live-action and animated family comedy, "The Smurfs." When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs out of their village, through a magical portal, and into our world, they land in the middle of New York's Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. Directed by Raja Gosnell.  The producer is Jordan Kerner.  The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn from a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss, based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

"What better way to celebrate the return of the Smurfs than with lollipops hand-crafted in their image," declared a My Idolpops representative.

The lollipop business represents a $400 million segment of the over-12-billion-dollar candy business, and sweet success is coming early for My Idolpops – a company committed to creating and marketing hand-crafted lollipops, all made in the USA with the highest quality standards.  My Idolpops has licensing deals with the Ford Motor Company (e.g., Mustang and F-150 series trucks); University of Southern California (USC) and Michigan State University (MSU).

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 My Idol Pops, LLC

Los Angeles-based, My Idol Pops prides itself as a manufacturer and marketer of premium lollipops and is quickly becoming a leading lollipop company capitalizing on licensing opportunities. The Company's products are manufactured in the USA, thereby offering stringent quality control.  Each My Idolpops product is carefully manufactured like a piece of art and is available in an array of flavors. Using only proprietary molds designed for each license, the product takes the actual shape of the brand, character or logo that it is designed to represent. For more information about My Idolpops please visit: www.myidolpops.com.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

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 and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at 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 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf's Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D). The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates!  Band of Misfits (3D). Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation's successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 2011. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

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.

Contacts:
Venture Studios / Steven Liberman (marketing/communications)
steven@venturestudios.net Tel: 818.981.0718

My Idolpops: Elizabeth Mohan
info@myidolpops.com  Tel: 877.506.1855

SOURCE My Idol Pops, LLC