It’s still a year away but Sony is already hyping their 3D live action-animated Smurf movie, also known as Avatar 2 for the junior set.
Moving from landmarks like the Sphinx and the Eiffel Tower, each getting blasted blue, the teaser lands in New York City’s Times Square, kicking into a mash-up of Tone Loc’s Wild Thing and the cartoon’s classic theme song as three blue heads pop into the frame.
The teaser trailer for the first of a proposed trilogy of Smurf flicks is introduced by Neil Patrick Harris, America’s new favorite triple threat. Since dropping the mantle of Doogie Howser,thanks to hilarious turns in Harold and Kumar and How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris has become one of Hollywood’s hottest commodities.
So why, oh why, did Harris agree to introduce a film trailer in which he stars (unanimated) during what looks like his break as a cologne spritzer in Macy’s? Hopefully Sony will throw more behind the film’s production values than they did for their first mini-tease. Seriously, people, rent some lighting equipment!
We loved the Smurfswhen we were growing up. Knowing Harris leads the charge on this big screen adaptation gives us hope that the film won’t go the way of Garfield or Alvin and the Chipmunks.
In their first film, the Smurfs will start out in their original setting, a forest in Europe in the Middle Ages. While running from an attack by their archenemy Gargamel (played by the brilliant Hank Azaria) some of the Smurfs stumble on a portal that takes them to present day Central Park. Lost in New York, they befriend several humans, including Neil Patrick Harris and Gleeguidance counselor Jayma Mays to do battle with Gargamel.
Is it just us, or does this sound exactly like Enchanted? With any luck, it’ll be half as good. Thanks to an outstanding cast, we have high hopes.
Joining Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria and Jayma Mays, is the underrated and impossibly talented Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Alpha Dog), lending his voice to Clumsy Smurf, The Office’s BJ Novak is Baker Smurf, the indomitable Alan Cumming is Gutsy Smurf, George Lopez will voice Grouchy Smurf, Jonathan Winters plays Papa Smurf and (pardon us while we stifle a gag but we couldn’t be more over this chick) Katy Perry plays Smurfette.
The Smurfs movie is set to be released August 3, 2011.
The Smurfs movie trailer!
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