It's late July and all across America, brutal heat and humidity is keeping everyone indoors in their air-conditioned homes, so kids are bound to start getting a bit stir crazy, which is why this is the perfect weekend for Sony Pictures to release a live action movie based on Peyo's beloved comic and cartoon characters The Smurfs. In the popular cartoons, we mainly saw the lovable blue Smurfs in their magical mushroom village being plagued by the evil Gargamel, but a mistake made by Clumsy Smurf (voiced by Anton Yelchin) sends a half-dozen of them into the heart of New York City where they're discovered by the marketer for a perfume company, played by Neil Patrick Harris, and his wife (Jayma Mays). Together, the three of them must foil the latest plot by the evil sorcerer Gargamel, played by "Simpsons" voice star Hank Azaria, donning full make-up and costume to bring the Smurfs' arch-nemesis to life.

The Smurftastic voice cast includes the likes of Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, George Lopez, Fred Armisen, Kenan Thompson and pop singer Katy Perry as Smurfette.

Earlier this week, ComingSoon.net spoke with the three principal actors who play humans in the movie, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, and Hank Azaria. Among other things, we talked with them about the technical aspects of the movie and interacting with tiny blue creatures and cats that weren't actually on set for the most part.

The Smurfs opens in 2D and 3D theaters on Friday.