Paramount and Nickelodeon have found their Smurfette for the upcoming untitled The Smurfs animated film.
The pair revealed that pop superstar Rihanna had been cast to play the character in the upcoming film. "On behalf of our studio and our creative partners at LAFIG, we couldn't be more excited to have found our Smurfette in one of the most beloved stars in the world," said Brian Robbins, the President of Paramount and Nickelodeon. "With Rihanna's singular creative appeal and musical talents, there is an enormous opportunity to elevate the cultural touchstone of The Smurfs universe in a way that's never been done before." In addition to starring as Smurfette, Rihanna will also serve as a producer on the film, as well as write and perform an original song for it. Rihanna is fresh off her tribute song to the late Chadwick Boseman, "Lift Me Up," from last year's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The Smurfs Animated TV Series and Movie
Last year, Paramount and Nickelodeon announced a slate of new content for The Smurfs. According to previous reports, Paramount and Nickelodeon are partnered with LAFIG Belgium and IMPS for the untitled film and more based on The Smurfs, including a second season of its new television series. Nickelodeon's CG-animated The Smurfs series started its second season in Summer 2022 with 26 new episodes.
Ramsey Naito, Paramount and Nickelodeon's President of Animation, described the new projects in a statement at the time, saying the companies are "honored" to bring The Smurfs to its content. Not much has been revealed about the film thus far, but Naito spoke a little about the project. "We're excited to tell a story that stays true to its origins, but with a Smurf-tastic musical twist that excites new audiences and builds on the Smurfs franchise and universe of wonderful characters and stories," she said. In addition to The Smurfs, Paramount and Nickelodeon have several Avatar: The Last Airbender animated spinoffs in the works.
The Smurfs' Origins
The Smurfs began life as a comic by Belgian writer and artist Pierre Culliford, who went by the pen name Peyo. They first appeared as supporting characters in the 1950s comic Johan et Pirlouit (Johan and Peewit) during an adventure when its protagonists went searching for a magic flute. The "Schtroumpf" became immensely popular with readers, leading to a more popular spinoff.
The untitled Smurfs animated musical does not yet have a release date.
Source: Paramount, Nickelodeon