The Smurfs 2 lights up theatres across Canada and the United States with its signature blue world and family friendly humor. Serving as the follow-up to 2011’s The Smurfs, the film follows Gargamel as he targets Smurf Village once more. This time he crafts a new threat called the Naughties, creatures that resemble Smurfs but exist to cause trouble. His plan is to extract the Smurf essence he craves, using the new powers they allegedly hold. Through a twist, Gargamel discovers that a true Smurf holds the key, and that Smurfette may know a spell that can turn his Naughties into real Smurfs. To secure his power, Gargamel captures Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he presents himself as the world’s most powerful sorcerer. Papa Smurf, along with Grouchy, Clumsy, and the rest of the Smurfs, slips from their village into the human world and teams up with Patrick and Grace Winslow to mount a rescue mission and bring Smurfette home.
The film brings back much of the beloved cast from the first movie. Hank Azaria returns as Gargamel, while Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays reprise their roles as Patrick and Grace Winslow. The Smurfs’ voices feature Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, Katy Perry as Smurfette, Fred Armisen as Brainy, Anton Yelchin as Clumsy, and George Lopez as Grouchy. Newcomers Christina Ricci and JB Smoove join as Vexy and Hackus, two of Gargamel’s Naughty creations who add extra mischief to the story.
A fun local connection adds extra sparkle: filming for The Smurfs 2 took place in Montreal, Canada, bringing a Canadian touch to a global franchise. The studios, streets, and sunny city locations provided the backdrop for the Smurfs’ adventures, blending real world scenery with the fantasy of Smurf Village in a way that resonates with North American audiences. The decision to film in Montreal also gave Canadian crews the chance to showcase their skills on a big budget production.
In the original adventure, the Smurfs are chased from their village when Clumsy accidentally lets Gargamel in. They flee and fall through a vortex at the Forbidden Falls, landing in New York City in the human world. Papa Smurf and the Smurfs end up in Patrick and Grace Winslow’s apartment. After Gargamel captures the Smurf essence from Smurfette’s hair, he pursues the Smurfs across two worlds. The Smurfs secure help from their human friends, seize control of a dragon wand they encounter along the way, and arrange a daring rescue to bring Papa Smurf back home while keeping Smurf Village safe from Gargamel’s reach.
To promote The Smurfs 2, a tech-savvy Smurf named Social Smurf appears across major social networks, sharing news from Smurf Village with fans. He posts updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, often from the vantage of a handheld device as he travels with the Smurf crew. Fans can follow the character to catch behind the scenes moments and sneak peeks as the film’s release approaches. This lighthearted promotion helps the movie connect with a younger, tech-minded audience and complements the traditional marketing push.
On the soundtrack side, pop icon Britney Spears lends her voice to a track titled Ooh La La, adding a contemporary pop flavor to the film’s upbeat vibe. A tie-in action adventure game from Ubisoft was developed for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the Wii family, delivering a hands-on experience that follows the movie’s storyline. A separate interactive storybook and a collection of mini games was released for the Nintendo DS, giving younger players a way to explore Smurf Village in a handheld format that mirrors the film’s whimsy.
The Smurfs 2 continues to expand the blue universe with promise of more adventures. Studio announcements hinted at additional Smurf projects in development, signaling that the world and its characters would keep appearing in both cinema and interactive formats. The movie was released to theatres on its scheduled date, inviting families and fans to share in the next chapter of Smurf Village as it journeys across cities and screens. Source: studio press materials, 2013.
Catch The Smurfs 2 in theatres on July 31, 2013.