The big screen is going to turn blue again on March 31, 2017 since Sony Pictures Animation chose that date to release its third Smurfs movie, simply called at the moment as the Untitled Animated Smurfs.
The first two Smurfs movie, titled The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, both managed to rake in over $900 million worldwide. The first Smurfs movie was released back in 2011, and it was followed two years after when the second animated film made its premiere on 2013.
Both movies, which were directed by Raja Gosnell, were created using a mix of live action and CG animation but Sony revealed that the third movie will be purely animated.
A lot of big names were attached to the first two movies, including funny man Neil Patrick Harris, pop singing sensation Katy Perry, Jayma Mays, Hank Azaria, and Sofia Vergara. It is yet to be confirmed whether any of the movie's regular voices will be coming back to work on the third movie.
Kelly Asbury, director of Shrek 2, will be handling the film while Charlotte's Web and The Smurfs producer Jordan Kerner will be producing the third animated film. Mary Ellen Bauder, known for her work in Hotel Transylvania, will be co-producing the film, The Hollywood Reporter shares.
Other names attached to the project remain unknown, and the studio said that the film's title as well as the cast who will lend their voices to the characters will be announced in the upcoming months.
Sony president for Worldwide Distribution Rory Bruer said that they are embracing everything that made the Smurfs so special and endearing to audiences worldwide, and they will try to do justice to creator Peyo's characters.
Bruer added that the movie's release date could not be more perfect especially since it will easily accommodate the schedules of the movie's target audience - the kids!
"The date is a perfect match for this movie. With the kids on break, every day plays like summer, and for franchises with global appeal like the Smurfs, audiences are ready to turn out for great entertainment," said Bruer.
Other studios, such as Warner Bros, are planning to release an animated movie on February 10 to compete with the third Smurfs film while Fox already scheduled DreamWorks' Captain Underpants on March 10 and Blue Sky's Ferdinand on April 7.
