The World To GET SMURFY on March 31, 2017

CULVER CITY, Calif., June 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark this year's June 14^th Global Smurfs Day, Sony Pictures Animation announced the all star cast of Get Smurfy, its brand new, fully computer-animated feature film reminiscent of creator Peyo Culliford's original recognizable style.

Get Smurfy finds Smurfette and her brothers trekking through the uncharted Enchanted Forest to try and discover a fabled Smurfs village before their nemesis, the evil wizard Gargamel, does.  Along the way, some of the mysteries of the little blue creatures' origins are brought to light:  do Smurfs come in any other colors? are their mushroom houses organic? And... why are there 99 boys and only one girl??? 

Platinum-selling recording artist Demi Lovato has signed to voice the girl-power-ful Smurfette, with Emmy-nominated comic actor Rainn Wilson (The Office, Monsters vs. Aliens) stepping into the evil shoes of the Smurf nemesis, Gargamel.  Papa Smurf will be played by Emmy winner Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride, Homeland).     

Set for a worldwide release on March 31, 2017, the new feature-length animated adventure will be directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet), produced by Jordan Kerner (Charlotte's Web, The Smurfs) and co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder (Hotel Transylvania).

Get Smurfy will stand as a brand new entry in the Columbia Pictures movie franchise that has grossed more than $900 million globally.

Says director Kelly Asbury, "The continued popularity of the Smurfs is unmistakable, and this new outing will return them to the fully-animated world that launched them."

Producer Jordan Kerner continues, "We felt it was important to take a very different approach with this origin story.  It returns to the roots of Peyo's creation in this CG animated adventure.  I hope it will delight not only fans but audiences worldwide.  We couldn't be more excited with the talented new cast we're starting to assemble for our Smurfy reboot! "

Adds Sony Pictures Animation's Kristine Belson, "We have gathered a group of filmmakers and artists who have grown up with these loveable characters, and Get Smurfy will be imbued with the same spirit of adventure that first made all of us lifelong fans of these little blue guys...and girl." 

Based on the characters and works of PEYO.

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

ABOUT 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 mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the family comedies Hotel Transylvania 2 scheduled in September 2015,  and Get Smurfy in March 2017.  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.

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ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT 
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., 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 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 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.

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SOURCE Sony Pictures Animation