Raja Gosnell to Direct Live-Action 'Smurfs'
Filed under: Animation, Deals, Remakes and Sequels
I'd like to think that someone was tapping into the liberty caps when they decided to make a live-action/animated movie of the Smurfs. It would, in so many ways, be fitting. Or at least an excuse. But in reality, studios just seem to find something irresistible about CG + live action, or animated characters becoming live action. The Cat in the Hat, The Chipmunks, Scooby Doo...It may have taken a long time to get to this point, but now Variety reports that the guy who brought us Beverly Hill Chihuahua and Scooby, Raja Gosnell, is primed to direct Smurfs for a release on December 17, 2010. Between his involvement and the writers -- J. David Stern and David N. Weiss from Shrek 2 -- they've come up with the script that is being polished by Audrey Wells (George of the Jungle) -- I'm sure this is one of those projects that will make the old fans groan, yet seem to attract an immense audience that paves the way for even more reboots. Muppet Babies, Pound Puppies, Care Bears, oh my!
All of that snarkiness aside, I will probably see this sucker in the theaters if they take a cue from ex-Cinematical writer Christopher Campbell and cast Abe Vigoda. That would be the stuff of legend!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-09-2009 @ 1:20PM
filmsuki said...
Wait, is this the same Smurfs I watched as a child? i.e. the cliche representation of every stereotype that exists? How is this going to make it through the politically correct climate of today?
Let's see...
Brainy Smurf changes from socially disfunctional nerd to powerful media geek
Smurfette turns from flower loving girly-girl to intelligent crass tomboy (who general solves all the problems)
Vanity Smurf is gay or transgendered
etc...
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7-09-2009 @ 1:28PM
Cyhort said...
*goes to pet above poster's cat avatar*
*gets bitten*
Ok now that that's out of the way WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING?!?!
A live action Smurfs movie?
I say again, a LIVE ACTION.......SMURFS movie.
Aside from the fact that the Smurfs are less relevant these days than Dolph Lundgren (sp) who the hell wants to watch a 2 hour movie about an old man wanting to eat tiny blue people? Also you know that the director is going to ruin (more) it by injecting some stupid left wing political message that has no place in a Smurfs movie because that's the "in" thing these days. Hook em while they're young, before they can think for themselves!
But I digress. This movie is a bad idea and will only appeal to kids who will like anything marketed towards them and 20-something stoners who think it's hilarious to substitute the word "Smurf" for a swear word.
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