Sony Animation has announced that Smurfs 2 has started production and that Christina Ricci and J.B. Smoove have been added to the cast, voicing the new Smurf-like naughty characters, Vexy and Hackus. Also up for a live-action role is Brendan Gleeson Patrick Winslow’s stepfather, Victor Doyle.
Most of the cast of the first film will be back, with Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick Winslow, Jayma Mays as Grace Winslow, Sofia Vergara as Odile, and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. On the voice side, Katy Perry is back as Smurfette, Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, Alan Cumming as Gutsy, Fred Armisen as Brainy, George Lopez as Grouchy and Anton Yelchin as Clumsy; in addition, John Oliver, who took a cameo voice role as Vanity Smurf in the first film, returns to voice his now primary role.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants – and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs – Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world’s greatest sorcerer. It’s up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus – or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?’
Raja Gosnell is directing with a release date already set for July 31st, 2013.