Those cute 1980's era cartoon characters The Smurfs are to make a big screen comeback after Sony and Columbia snapped up the film rights to the former TV series, the dpa reported.
Thanks to advances in technology the new smurfs will appear in a hybrid live action/animated film in which Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the rest of the blue-hued crew will be computer-rendered in the flick.
Created by Pierre Culliford, aka Peyo, in 1958, Les Schtroumpfs began as minor comic-book characters before gaining fame in NBC's Emmy-winning Smurfs cartoon, which ran from 1981-90.
Davids Stem and Weiss, the family-friendly scribes behind Shreks 2 and 3, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Rugrats Movie, are in talks to write.
The Smurfs are one of the best-known franchises, and among the most beloved collection of characters in the world," said Columbia co-president Doug Belrad in announcing the movie plans. "We're very excited to introduce a new generation to Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the other smurftastic Smurfs in all their glory."