"THE SMURFS 2" BRINGS HOLIDAY CHEER TO THE TROOPS

CULVER CITY, Calif., Dec. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating our U.S. troops, Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) announced today that the company is donating Christmas trees, ornaments and hosting events at select bases to help members of the military and their families kick off the holiday season. The events will feature, in addition to the gift giving, exclusive screenings of THE SMURFS 2 and appearances by two of the world's favorite three-apple-high creatures.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131209/LA30122)

The first event was held this past Friday (December 6) at the Carey Theater on the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Smurfette and Clumsy, "stars" of the film, were on hand to donate 100 trees, ornaments, and THE SMURFS 2 Blu-rays™ to lucky families with winning raffle tickets, after which they shared more Christmas joy by posing for pictures.

The venue was filled and the lovable characters' latest animated adventure generated enthusiastic response from parents and kids alike. "It's really cool when the Smurfs 'walk the walk" in supporting the troops and their families," said Patrick McGhee, the base's General Manager.

This coming Saturday (Dec. 14), the Smurfs will be at it again -- this time deep in the heart of Texas at Fort Hood in the Palmer Theatre, after which Smurfette and Clumsy will greet the Christmas tree and other winners at the base's very own Christmas tree lot.

Fans of THE SMURFS 2 can get in on the holiday fun, too, since the film is available on Blu-ray^™ 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray^™ Combo Pack and DVD* from SPHE. Exclusive to the Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Combo Packs is the animated Smurfs mini-movie, "The Legend of Smurfy Hollow," and three all-new, kid-friendly featurettes, including "The Puurrfect Companion: Azreal's Tail," showing how Gargamel's sidekick was created, from the live-action cat to the digital double. Both the Blu-ray Combo Packs and DVD come with deleted scenes and two additional featurettes, including "Animating Azrael" and the all-new "Daddy's Little Girl: The Journey of Smurfette."

THE SMURFS 2 has a running time of 105 minutes and is rated PG for some rude humor and action.

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. 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; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; worldwide television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the 2009 mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs—with the family comedy Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 in theaters September 2013. Sony Pictures Animation will also release a brand new mini-movie on DVD and television this Fall, The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow. The studio, 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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*Includes Digital HD UltraViolet™ 

SOURCE Sony Pictures Home Entertainment