The Smurfs are a pop culture staple. They’ve been around for over half a century. They started their big screen venture back in 2011. That film and its sequel were a blend of live-action and computer animation. The newest film has abandoned that idea and become a fully animated endeavor. Check out the new trailer for Smurfs: The Lost Village.
It looks like the Smurfs are going to get a tad progressive! From what this trailer teases, it looks like the Lost Village will be populated by nothing but female Smurfs. That seems like a story that’s been a long time coming. Glad to see the Smurfs really acknowledge this and explore it.
But, it’s hard not to get a vibe of lessness from this trailer. The cheesy voiceover, the fairly cheap jokes, and the overall presentation makes it seem like it should be a direct-to-video affair rather than a theatrical release. It’s hard to tell if this is trying for a large audience or accepts that it’s an entry in a somewhat smaller franchise. It doesn’t help that The Smurfs 2 was mostly ridiculed upon release. The luster has faded quite a bit on this property.
However, this is obviously a film meant for very, very young viewers. There will be the necessary jokes for the parents but this isn’t aiming for a wide demographic. It will probably be a colorful delight for kids. Whether or not their parents decide to take them to the movies that weekend is another story. Ultimately, parents drive ticket sales. It’s up to them what their kids see.
Smurfs: The Lost Village is planning to release on April 7, 2017. That puts it right on the cusp of the summer movie season. It will release one week after The Boss Baby which could hurt its chances. We’ll find out how it fares next year.
