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I’d like to think that someone was tapping into the liberty caps when they decided to make a live-action/animated movie of the Smurfs. It would, in so many ways, be fitting. Or at least an excuse. But in reality, studios just seem to find something irresistible about CG + live action, or animated characters becoming live action. The Cat in the Hat, The Chipmunks, Scooby Doo…
It may have taken a long time to get to this point, but now* Variety *reports that the guy who brought us Beverly Hill Chihuahua and Scooby, Raja Gosnell, is primed to direct Smurfs for a release on December 17, 2010. Between his involvement and the writers – J. David Stern and David N. Weiss from Shrek 2 – they’ve come up with the script that is being polished by Audrey Wells (George of the Jungle) – I’m sure this is one of those projects that will make the old fans groan, yet seem to attract an immense audience that paves the way for even more reboots. *Muppet Babies, Pound Puppies, Care Bears, *oh my!
All of that snarkiness aside, I will probably see this sucker in the theaters if they take a cue from ex-Cinematical writer Christopher Campbell and cast Abe Vigoda. That would be the stuff of legend!