Sony announced Thursday that they will be pushing back the release date for their third installment of The Smurfs franchise from August 2015 to August 2016. They are consequently pulling Goosebumps, the feature based on the popular 90’s R.L. Stine books, up from March 2016 to August 2015.
I am not a fan of The Smurfs, particularly the hybrid live-action/CG films that Sony Pictures Animation released in 2011 and 2013. When the story came out that Sony was going to make yet another Smurfs film, it sounded like less than thrilling news to me.
But maybe there’s hope for this new film after all. It’s not going to be a live-action/CG hybrid like its predecessors from Sony, but rather a full length CG animated feature.
Sony Pictures Animation has announced their slate of animated feature films for 2015 and beyond. First up is The Smurfs 3, but this time Peyo’s little blue creations are going to be in a fully animated film rather than part of a CG/live-action hybrid like Sony’s previous two Smurfs films. Directing the untitled film is Kelly Asbury (Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet). The new Smurfs feature is scheduled to be released August 2015.
With The Smurfs 2 set to open in U.S. theaters on July 31, 2013, the cast has been making the promotional rounds for the live action+CG animation film. In a recent interview with ComingSoon.net, actor Hank Azaria, who plays Gargamel, mentioned this about a possible third “Smurfs” film…
Animation Fascination 