It looks like the Smurfs movie soldiers on. We learn today that it will feature both CG characters and live action (Gargamel?) We get the following update thanks to the professionals at Variety:
Sony obtained film rights to the blue-colored characters from Lafig Belgium via Jordan Kerner (“Charlotte’s Web”), who is producing. David Stem and David Weiss, who wrote the second and third installments in the “Shrek” franchise, are in negotiations to pen the screenplay.
Kerner secured film rights to the Smurfs property in 2002 and had been developing a 3-D CGI feature at Paramount/Nickelodeon, which has an option to co-finance the Columbia/SPA incarnation and distribute internationally. The Melrose studio has yet to make a decision on its role in the film.
Kerner said the genesis of the current project began during a holiday conversation with Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman-CEO Michael Lynton, who grew up with “Les Schtroumpfs” in the Netherlands. “He relished them as I do and suggested that it should be a live-action/CG film,” he said. “(Studio topper) Amy (Pascal) felt equally that there was potentially a series of films in the making.”
I am not pleased that the dudes that wrote Shrek 2 & 3 have been tapped to write this. Both of those films were brutal, but the third one made even the second Shrek film look good. I hope they are able to bring us a better script this time out, because you don’t want to shit the bed on the Smurf’s first big screen outing.
I think having the human characters stay human is the best way to do this film. Gargamel and his cat could both be real and all the Smurfs could be CG. A good Gargamel would be a great addition to this film. If they can get Max Von Sydow – I think he would be a fantastic choice.
International friends – who would you like to see play Gargamel?
