We take a look back at the Smurfs franchise before The Lost Village opens on April 7
Smurfs: The Lost Village will hit theaters on April 7, 2017, and in honor of the film, we’re taking a look back at the Smurfs franchise. It all started when a Belgian comics artist Peyo (pen name of Pierre Culliford) created the little blue guys as a character in the comic series “Johan et Pirlouit” in 1958. “Les Schtroumpfs,” as they were called, became a popular franchise that made it to America in the form of an animated series that ran from 1981-1989. There were character figures, video games, Ice Capades and a controversial UNICEF commercial that ran in Belgium in 2005. The first two films in the Sony trilogy were The Smurfs in 2011 and The Smurfs 2 in 2013. Check out our gallery below and take a smurfy walk through smurfdom.
RELATED: The New Smurfs Trailer, Plus Three Lost Village Clips
Smurfs: The Lost Village features the voices of Demi Lovato as Smurfette, Rainn Wilson as Gargamel, Joe Manganiello as Hefty Smurf, Jack McBrayer as Clumsy Smurf, Danny Pudi as Brainy Smurf, Michelle Rodriguez as SmurfStorm, Ellie Kemper as SmurfBlossom, Ariel Winter as SmurfLily, with Mandy Patinkin as Papa Smurf and Julia Roberts as SmurfWillow.
The new film offers a fully animated take on the beloved blue creatures, and is directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet), produced by Jordan Kerner (Charlotte’s Web, The Smurfs) and co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder (Hotel Transylvania).
What is your favorite part of the Smurfs franchise? Are you planning to check out the new Lost Village movie in theaters this weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The Smurfs Franchise
A look back at the Smurfs franchise
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The Flute With Six Holes
La Flûte à six trous ("The Flute with Six Holes") was the first appearance of the Smurfs in the comic "Johan & Pirlouit" in 1958 by the artist Peyo.
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Les Aventures des Schtroump
The 1965 Belgian animated film Les Aventures des Schtroumpfs consisted of five short cartoons strung together for a film.
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The Smurfs and the Magic Flute
The 1976 film La Flûte à six schtroumpfs was released in America in 1983 as The Smurfs and the Magic Flute.
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Smurfs, the animated series
The Saturday morning cartoon Smurfs ran in America from 1981-1989, with reruns running until 1990.
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The Smurf village
The Smurfs live in a village with houses made of mushrooms. They would have to be large, as the Smurfs measure three apples high.
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Papa Smurf and the Smurflings
Papa Smurf is the leader of the Smurfs and known for his bright red outfit. The Smurflings appeared in the animated series from season 5-season 8. Two of them, Sassette and Snappy, appeared in season 9.
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Smurfette
Smurfette, who was the only female Smurf for much of the series. She was created by the wizard Gargamel, but Papa Smurf worked to make her a real Smurf, turning her hair blond.
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Gargamel
Gargamel, the wizard who hunted Smurfs for food. He hates the Smurfs, though every once in a great while, will hold back from harming them. He cares for his cat Azrael.
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Azrael
Gargamel's cat Azrael helps him hunt the Smurfs, but he sometimes gets in the way. Gargamel has said Azrael is his only friend.
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Hefty Smurf
The body builder Hefty Smurf takes care of most of the hard work around the Smurf village. He has a tattoo of a red heart on his arm.
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Brainy Smurf
Brainy Smurf believes he's very smart. He often quotes from the book "Quotations from Brainy Smurf." Brainy Smurf wears glasses and his original name, Schtroumpf à Lunettes, means Smurf with Glasses.
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Grouchy Smurf
Grouchy Smurf is never in a good mood. He often says he hates things, but he's very kind to the Smurflings and Baby Smurf.
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Clumsy Smurf
Clumsy Smurf is constantly falling down and speaks with a Southern American accent in the animated series.
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Jokey Smurf
Don't open any presents Jokey Smurf gives you. This Smurf is often seen with a yellow box, wrapped in a red ribbon. They explode when opened.
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Vanity Smurf
Vanity Smurf thinks a lot of himself, wears a flower on his hat and often kisses the mirror he carries around with him.
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Handy Smurf
Handy Smurf can fix anything. He created Clockwork Smurf and Clockwork Smurfette and often fixes things in the village.
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Sassette Smurf
Sassette Smurf was created by Gargamel, much like Smurfette. She was turned into a real Smurf by Papa Smurf.
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Painter Smurf
Painter Smurf has a lot of talent, and wears a blue coat with a red tie. He speaks with a French accent in the animated series.
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Baby Smurf
Baby Smurf was brought to the Smurf village by a stork one evening and is adored by the whole village, even Grouchy Smurf.
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Harmony Smurf
Harmony Smurf plays musical instruments, most often a trumpet. He's often asked to stop playing.
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Marvel's Smurfs Comic
The Smurfs comic from Marvel was published during the mid-1980s.
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Smurf Figures
These figures are from Smurfs: The Lost Village, but Smurf figures were wildly popular in the 1980s, during the run of the animated series.
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Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle
The 1982 video game Smurf Rescue in Gargamel's Castle, published by Coleco for ColecoVision and Atari 2600.
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The Smurfs Travel the World
The Smurfs Travel the World was released in 1996 for the Super NES, Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Gear, and Master System.
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The Smurfs
The 1999 PlayStation game The Smurfs was a 3D platform game.
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The Revenge of the Smurfs
The 2002 video game The Revenge of the Smurfs was a 2D platform game, created for the Game Boy Advance.
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The Smurfs Dance Party
The 2011 video game The Smurfs Dance Party was created by Ubisoft for the Wii to go along with the first film, released the same year.
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South Park:
The Smurfs made an appearance in the South Park episode "Dances With Smurfs" (Season 13, episode 13) in 2009.
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The Smurfs
The Smurfs (2011) appeared in a CGI/live-action film in 2001, starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria and Anton Yelchin.
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Vanity Smurf in The Smurfs
A look at Vanity Smurf in the 2011 CGI/live-action film The Smurfs.
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Neil Patrick Harris in The Smurfs
Neil Patrick Harris in the 2011 CGI/live-action film The Smurfs.
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Hank Azaria in The Smurfs
Hank Azaria stars as the wizard Gargamel in The Smurfs movie in 2011.
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The Smurfs
A number of Smurfs are discovered in the 2011 film The Smurfs.
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The Smurfs 2
The movie poster for the CGI/live-action sequel The Smurfs 2 (2013).
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The Smurfs 2
The Smurfs 2 (2013) starred Neil Patrick Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria and Katy Perry.
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The Smurfs 2
The Smurfs partying in the CGI/live-action sequel The Smurfs 2 (2013).
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Smurfs: The Lost Village
Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) will star Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Joe Manganiello, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Mandy Patinkin, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Ariel Winter, Julia Roberts, Gordon Ramsay, Gabriel Iglesias, Tituss Burgess, Jeff Dunham, Jake Johnson and Kelly Asbury.
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Smurfs: The Lost Village
A shot from the new Smurfs film, Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017)
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Smurfs: The Lost Village
Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) opens on April 7, 2017.
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Smurfs: The Lost Village
What mysteries will be revealed when The Lost Village hits the big screen?
