Take a Look at the History of the Smurfs Franchise

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!

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