Smurfs Reboot

[MrMaooz]

Sony Animation Shelves ‘Smurfs 3′ For New Origin Tale In Franchise Reboot

One thing that’s become evident. It’s hard to kill a Smurf. After a sequel that saw its business nosedive next to the original, SmurfsPeyoSony Pictures Animation is changing course and planning a new take on its Smurfs franchise, tapping Shrek 2 and Gnomeo & Juliet director Kelly Asbury to helm an all-animated film with new designs and environments that will focus on the origins of the annoying blue creatures. The new take will be closer to creator Kelly-Asbury-photo-gnomeo-premierePeyo’s original artwork, and it has been targeted for the August 2015 release. They originally planned a straight trilogy, but apparently they will take a mulligan on a second film which contributed to all the heat Sony Pictures brass received from the likes of Daniel Loeb on a subpar 2013 returns.

The news comes as Sony Pictures’ animation arm provided updates on its slate, saying that Genndy Tartakovsky has officially signed to return to direct Hotel Transylvania 2, which is eyeing a September 2015 bow with star Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel writing. Tartakovsky also is developing Sony’s CG Popeye pic and his own original idea Genndy Tartakovsky’s Can You Imagine, described as a fantastic journey through one boy’s imagination.

Michelle Raimo Kouyate, SPA’s President of Production, is working with the filmmakers and oversees the development slate. Imagery and animation on all SPA films comes via Sony Pictures Imageworks. SPA’s 2013 releases included Smurfs 2 and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/03/smurfs-origin-movie-replacing-smurfs-3-sony-kelly-asbury/

 

[DarkSovereignty]

Does Sony have a giant "reboot" button in their office for when things don't work out at the box office?

 

[TheNextNolan22]

:ugh:

Hotel Transylvania 2 I'm somewhat interested in because I actually did like that movie and Genndy Tartakovsky is awesome. But **** THE SMURFS.

 

[Octoberist]

To be fair, if they're going to make this closer to original books and cartoon them I form mind.

 

[KevanG]

Smurf that smurfing sack of smurfing smurfs.

 

[samsnee]

Does Sony have a giant "reboot" button in their office for when things don't work out at the box office?

They're hoping to connect it to the Spider-man franchise and release a new one every other year.

 

[Octoberist]

The problem with the pipeline for this film is that, if they just got the director now, and the movie is coming out in August 2015, this is a fast schedule for an animated film. Not even Ice Age could be pumped out like that.

 

[Raiden]

Instead of a reboot, how about just dumping the Smurf's franchise? I guess movie studios are so starved for franchises that they'd rather reboot than bury a movie.

 

[Lord]

What they say about Sony not having many franchises is really not true, besides Spider-Man they also have Men in Black, Underworld, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Smurfs is still frofitable, Hotel Transylvania, now they rebooted Robocop, Jump the Street, Dan Brown's books and freakin James Bond.

Though by 2018 Walt Disney will probably have won the race.

 

[DA_Champion]

If Sony were more ambitious, they would do for the great Japanese mangas (Evangelion, etc) what WB and Disney are doing for the inferior American comic books.

 

[Lord]

That is actually true, when you look at how much certain animes/ manga have sold, a well done adaptation could spawn easy franchises, but most American studios seem to be way too focused on American comics, a media that doesn't seem to do as well and where most new comics (not all) are Unfortunatelly repeating what previous ones already did.

I don't think Evangelion would be the easiest or best one to adapt, it would almost be as difficult as trying to adapt 2001: A Space Odissey into anime form. Also, i don't think SONY has the heaviest hitters, Fox has Dragon Ball (a sleeping heavyweight), Warner Bros. has Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemists, while One Piece (the best selling manga of them all with almost 400 million copies sold in total) is probably not even holded by any studio.

I think it comes down to studios focusing on what's popular right now, they'll take a comic book franchise and say it's the most original thing and how they're doing something unique, while just capitalising on the genre that is popular. I guess it just needs for somebody like James Cameron to come and adapt Battle Angel: Alita, or Shane Black's Death Note being a success, then it's possible that certain studios will start to look at what they have in a different way.

 

[DA_Champion]

You're right, american studios would have a hard time with Evangelion. The odds of success would be low.

 

[Lord]

If they actually tried, the likes of Dragon Ball and Fullmetal Alchemist shouldn't be very difficult though. I just find it somewhat laughable that they will look first at American Cartoons like He-Man or Bem 10 than anime/ manga actions shonens, which are usually what they look more for in a new blockbuster franchises: Interesting battle set-ups and unique mythologies.

 

[Duke]

I like the cartoons, but never cared for the movies, so I have no interest in becomes of the franchise.

 

[CJ]

So.. the animation must look like garbage if its being churned out in just a year.. Nice to hear they're getting rid of the Alvin and the Chipmunks-style story format. Might actually be good!

I wonder how this will affect the rumored Sonic movie? That's a lot of projects for SPA to handle..

 

[Teelie]

They're hoping to connect it to the Spider-man franchise and release a new one every other year.

Spider-Smurf.

Spoiler

 

[Immortalfire]

The Smurfs don't need a reboot. They didn't even need 2 movies to begin with. Smurf this.

 

[DA_Champion]

The Smurfs don't need a reboot. They didn't even need 2 movies to begin with. Smurf this.

No property "needs" a franchise.

 

[universeman]

Smurfs getting a reboot! I'm shocked maybe this time there do it right!

 

[Pink Ranger]

To be fair, if they're going to make this closer to original books and cartoon them I form mind.

Agreed, and I don't see why they didn't just start with the original source material. Johann, Peawitt, the Smurfs, Gargamel: it had a fantasy, magic, adventure, a pre-teen protagonist, I don't know what was unappealing about that.

 

[Hyde]

I wonder if there exists a person on the planet who actually wants to see this.

 

[Lord]

I wonder if there exists a person on the planet who actually wants to see this.

Says the guy with a Guardians of the Galaxy avatar, there was a time when the idea of simply doing that into film was considered impossible and something that nobody would want to see

 

[DA_Champion]

I'd love to see a good Smurfs movie. I grew up with Les Shtroumphes.

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

I grew up with Les Shtroumphes.

I'm sorry to hear about your illness. But you are well today?

Just kidding. I never read The Smurfs, but used to watch the cartoon on tv. It was pretty good. I also remember that my cousin had a Smurfs game for the SNES that was frustratingly hard...

I don't mind a new Smurf movie, as long as it's good. There are worse movies they could make (sequels to Saw, Hangover, Human Centipede etc).

 

[DA_Champion]

I'm sorry to hear about your illness. But you are well today?

It took me several seconds to get that comment, but... I did laugh out loud