The Smurfs Movie (2024 film)

The Smurfs Movie is a 2024 American computer-animated fantasy adventure comedy film based on The Smurfs comics series by Peyo, inspired on 3D animated series The Smurfs, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. A reboot for Pixar to Disney's previous The Smurfs (2016), The Smurfs 2 (2022) and The Smurfs (2023) the fourth installment in Disney's Smurfs movies series, it was directed by Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell, co-directed by Chris Miller, from a screenplay writers of McGrath, Darnell, Pam Brody, and Stacey Harman, produced by Lindsey Collins, and stars the voices of Anya Taylor-Joy, Hank Azaria, LeBron James, David Schwimmer, Jack Black, Chloë Grace Moretz, Hailee Steinfeld, Leah Lewis, Meghan Trainor, Ben Stiller and Jayma Mays.

In the film, a mysterious map prompts Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty to find a lost village before Gargamel does. The film introduced the female Smurfs, who appeared in the franchise the following year.

The Smurfs Movie premiered on February 25, 2024 and was released in the United States on March 1, 2024 and received positive reviews from critics, and was successful as its three predecessors, grossing over $1 billion worldwide against a $200 million budget, but still a commercial success.

Plot
The Smurfs live peacefully in Smurf Village. Smurfette was created by the evil wizard Gargamel but was redeemed by Papa Smurf and became part of the village. She feels that she does not fit in as she tries to find her purpose in life, which the other Smurfs have. Gargamel makes it his mission to capture the Smurfs, steal all of their essence, and become the most powerful wizard.

During a smurfboarding trip, Smurfette discovers a possible Smurf creature, is captured by Gargamel, and is taken to his castle. There, she accidentally reveals a hat the creature dropped, enabling Gargamel to create a brew that causes him to locate the village on a map. Hefty, Brainy, and Clumsy help Smurfette escape, and they return to Smurf Village. Papa Smurf confines them to their houses as punishment for almost disobeying his orders, dismissing their claims of the existence of another Smurfs village. That night Smurfette sneaks out to look for the lost village with Brainy, Clumsy, and Hefty volunteered to join her. Gargamel discovers them trying to find the village and heads out with his pet cat Azrael and his pet vulture Monty to stop them.

The four follow the map and have various adventures and encounter bizarre creatures, including a colony of fire-breathing dragonflies, which Gargamel provokes into attacking the Smurfs. They escape a cavern maze with the help a stampede of glowing green rabbits. Eventually, the four Smurfs reach a river where they sail on a handmade raft. Following a brief chase, Gargamel is thrown out of his own raft, and the Smurfs save him. Instead of thanking them, he pushes them out of their own raft, and they plunge down a waterfall.

The four are captured by leaf-covered creatures who reveal themselves to be female Smurfs. They are taken to Smurfy Grove and meet Smurf Blossom, Smurf Storm, Smurf Lily, Smurf Melody, and their leader Smurf Willow, who all welcome the Smurfs to their home. Smurf Storm and Clumsy head away from the village to locate Gargamel and alert the others. During the trip, Clumsy reveals that Smurfette was created by Gargamel, which causes Smurf Storm to distrust Smurfette. Gargamel, who was led into a piranha-infested swamp, and Azrael spot Clumsy and Smurf Storm. Monty attacks them, but they fly away to return to the village.

Following a village tour, Smurfette grows accustomed to life in Smurfy Grove, to the dismay of Hefty and Brainy. Smurf Storm and Clumsy return, revealing that Smurfette was created by Gargamel. The female Smurfs prepare an attack that night. Papa Smurf, having discovered the quartet's absence, arrives to bring them home, and the female Smurfs accept him into their home. Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty suddenly invade and destroy Smurfy Grove, capturing every Smurf. Smurfette is spared because she is not a real Smurf, and thus, is of no more use to Gargamel, and they leave. Feeling heartbroken, Smurfette is shown a picture of herself with her friends, and after realizing what not being a real Smurf truly means, she heads back to Gargamel's lair to save her fellow Smurfs.

At Gargamel's lair, Papa Smurf and Smurf Willow accept Brainy's escape plan. Hefty, Brainy, Clumsy, Smurf Blossom, Smurf Storm, Smurf Lily, Smurf Melody, Smurf Jade, and Smurf Petal succeed at the plan until Gargamel and Azrael spot them and put Clumsy, Smurf Blossom, Smurf Storm, Smurf Lily, Smurf Melody, Smurf Jade, and Smurf Petal into his Smurfilator, a machine capable of extracting their essence. Smurfette arrives and deceives Gargamel into believing she wants to be an evil Smurf again. Gargamel tries to turn Smurfette evil again but realizes that she is absorbing his magical powers instead. The lair explodes, sending him, Azrael, and Monty flying back into the piranha lake. The Smurfs are freed, but Smurfette has been reverted to a lifeless lump of clay.

Back at Smurf Village, the Smurfs make a memorial for Smurfette and silently mourn her loss; Papa Smurf refers to her as the truest Smurf of them all. Their energy and love for Smurfette brings her back to life, and everybody celebrates. Smurfette finds her purpose: to be anything she wants to be. Gargamel, Azrael, and Monty walk back to their lair, and Gargamel wrongfully blames Azrael for ruining his plans and reveals Azrael's adoption.

Cast

 * Anya Taylor-Joy as Smurfette, a girl Smurf who was created by the wizard Gargamel and the main protagonist of the film. Surrounded by male Smurfs who each have a clear role in the village, she becomes curious about her own purpose, and betrays Gargamel to join with them.
 * Hank Azaria as Gargamel, an evil wizard and the film's main antagonist who seeks to find the Smurfs and steal their magic in order to become the greatest evil wizard in the world.
 * Ben Stiller as Papa Smurf, the fatherly Smurf chief leader of Smurf Village and narrator, who does not want his children entering the Forbidden Forest.
 * LeBron James as Hefty Smurf, a strong Smurf who tends to annoy Brainy and has a crush on Smurfette.
 * David Schwimmer as Clumsy Smurf, an accident-prone and good-natured Smurf who tends to panic.
 * Jack Black as Brainy Smurf, a book-smart Smurf who butts heads with Hefty and gets annoyed by his antics.
 * Jayma Mays as Smurf Willow, the motherly Smurf leader of Smurfy Grove and Papa Smurf's love interest.
 * Chloë Grace Moretz as Smurf Storm, a tough, tomboyish girl Smurf who sometimes does not trust Smurfette because she was created by the wizard Gargamel to undermine the Smurfs. However, Smurfette betrayed Gargamel to join the Smurfs.
 * Hailee Steinfeld as Smurf Blossom, an energetic and friendly girl Smurf who quickly befriends Smurfette.
 * Leah Lewis as Smurf Lily, a smart and gentle girl Smurf.
 * Meghan Trainor as Smurf Melody, a musical girl Smurf.
 * Chris Miller as Grouchy Smurf, a Smurf who is always grouchy and ill-tempered.
 * Tom McGrath as Baker Smurf, a Smurf who bakes cakes.
 * Eric Darnell as Vanity Smurf, a Smurf who is obsessed with his looks.
 * Conrad Vernon as Jokey Smurf, a Smurf that plays pranks on others, usually in the form of "gifts".
 * Blake Shelton as Farmer Smurf, a Smurf who is a farmer. Freeman, who previously voices in the 2021 TV Series.
 * Christopher Knights as Nosey Smurf, a Smurf who peeks in on private activities.
 * Alan Mechem as Passerby Smurf
 * Danik Thomas as Karate Smurf
 * Patrick Ballin as Patient Smurf and Frank the Caterpillar.
 * Tony Hale as Snappy Bug, Brainy's ladybug assistant.
 * Melissa Sturm as Smurf Jade. Melissa Sturm who voiced Smurfette from the two spinoffs.
 * Frank Welker as Azrael, Gargamel's sardonic pet cat. He comes up with all of Gargamel's plans and is shown to be smarter than his incompetent master even though Gargamel gives him no credit and blames him instead of Monty. Frank Welker reprises his role from the live-action movies and the second spinoff.
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Monty, Gargamel's dimwitted but ruthless pet vulture. He's just as incompent as his master, who gives him more credit than Azrael.

Development
In March 2021, plans for a completely computer-animated reboot to be produced with Pixar Animation Studios instead Walt Disney Animation Studios, who produced of two films of The Smurfs. Madagascar directors Tom McGrath and Eric Darnell was confirmed as director in April 2022. It was revealed that the film would explore the origins of the Smurfs, and feature a new take on the characters, with designs and environments more closely following the artwork created by Peyo, the creator of the Smurfs franchise. McGrath wants for the characters to inspired in 2021 TV Series and for origin story. In February 2022, it was announced that The Walt Disney Company signed partnership with LAFIG Belgium and IMPS to produce multiple films and TV series based on The Smurfs comic series. On June 2, 2022, Pixar confirmed the original title of The Smurfs Movie, along with a first look at the film. In September 2022, Philip Craven and Rob Koo were served as head of story.

Casting
On January 16, 2022, Ben Stiller was added to the cast of the animated adventure film to voice Papa Smurf, who was previously voiced by Dustin Hoffman in the Walt Disney Animation Studios films. On June 14, 2022, Anya Taylor-Joy was revealed as the voice of Smurfette, and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. Frank Welker, who voices Gargamel's pet cat Azrael, is the only voice actor to reprise his role from the Walt Disney Animation Studios films. In July 2022, Jack Black was confirmed to be in the cast as the voice of Brainy Smurf. The first image from the film was revealed in October 2022, with LeBron James, David Schwimmer, Chloë Grace Moretz, Hailee Steinfeld, Leah Lewis, Jon Hamm, Meghan Trainor, Blake Shelton, Tony Hale, and Jayma Mays revealed to be part of its cast.

Animation and design
The film was animated by Pixar's Presto and rendered by Pixar's Renderman. The film design was inspired by DreamWorks Animation's Madagascar film series, The Bad Guys and Sony Pictures Animation's The Mitchells vs. The Machines. McGrath cited the classic movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1984) and The Goonies (1985) as his main inspirations. The Forbidden Forest is inspired by the Land of Oz, Pandora and Wonderland, filled with dangerous and magical creatures. Pixar built a shader prototype using the toonshader of the Autodesk Arnold render engine as a starter base. Additionally, a group of five traditional 2D effects animators to train the team were assembled, and Toon Boom Animation software was brought into their pipeline. Although it is a CG-animated feature, the film includes scenes that are traditionally animated, flash animated, a short cutout animation segment. To make the film feel more like a comic book, it was animated without motion blur, instead using an older technique of 2D animation called motion smearing, as seen in the 1942 Looney Tunes short The Dover Boys. The frame rate varied between 24 images (animating on ones) and 12 images (animating on twos) per second, the latter case using the same image twice. Rather than using animation principles like squash and stretch, the animators came up with substitute versions, "so that in texture and feel it felt different, but it still achieved the same goal—to either feel weight or anticipation or impact or things like that."

Music
The film's score is composed by Hans Zimmer, in his first feature-length project for Pixar, and he worked with McGrath in Madagascar, Megamind, and The Boss Baby. In November 2023, it was reported that singer Meghan Trainor had recorded a song for the film titled "I'm a Lady", which was released as a single, along with Jack Black co-wrote the song. Additional, " You Will Always Find Me in Your Heart", performed by Anya Taylor-Joy, she also co-wrote the song with Zimmer, and "The Truest Smurf of All" performed by Shaley Scott.