The new Smurfs movie brings a bold revamp to the beloved blue franchise, with music from South Africa’s own Tyla, a glittering cast of A-listers, and a slick new animation style that feels worlds away from previous iterations. And yet, somehow, it still manages to serve up a nostalgic kind of fun for the whole family.
I’ll be honest, Smurfs films haven’t exactly been my go-to when it comes to animated movies. But when I heard this one featured not only a new Rihanna track, but also a song by Tyla, born and raised right here in South Africa, I knew I had to see it.
Written by Pam Brady, based on the original comics by Peyo (Pierre Culliford), and directed by Chris Miller, this revival is produced by Jay Brown, Ryan Harris, Tyran Smith, and Rihanna herself. Like its predecessors, it doesn’t skimp on star power, and while the budget hasn’t been officially released, it seems closer in scale to the first two Smurfs films, which came in at around $110-million, rather than the more modest $60-million of Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017).
This new chapter introduces fresh faces of both smurfy and sinister nature. Gargamel’s younger brother, Razamel (voiced, like Gargamel, by JP Karliak), makes his debut, along with quirky additions like No Name Smurf (James Corden), Sound Effects Smurf (Spencer X), and Ken (Nick Offerman), Papa Smurf’s never before mentioned brother. Smurfette gets a new voice, this time voiced by Rihanna, following Katy Perry and Demi Lovato in the previous films.
The cast is star-studded: Dan Levy, Natasha Lyonne, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Sandra Oh, Amy Sedaris, Kurt Russell, John Goodman, Jimmy Kimmel… and even Marshmello, who voices Turtle, still masked in behind-the-scenes clips, of course, despite the long-running speculation that he is Christopher Comstock.
The movie is a classic Smurfy adventure with an interdimensional twist. When Papa Smurf is kidnapped by the dark wizard Razamel, Smurfette and No Name Smurf lead the rescue mission. Their journey takes them from Smurf Village to the “real world”, where they’re aided by the Paris Division of the International Neighborhood Watch Smurfs. With Ken joining the cause, the crew travels the globe, dodges danger, makes bizarre new friends, like the adorable but conniving Snooterpoots, and forms unlikely alliances (cat haters beware!).
It’s cheeky, with some grown-up humour thrown in (who knew Smurf could have so many meanings?), and ultimately heartwarming. Papa Smurf is saved, of course (so no spoiler alerts there) but, more importantly, the Smurfs discover that every one of them, even No Name, has something unique to offer.
Rihanna returns to the music scene with Friend of Mine, released ahead of the film’s debut on May 15. It’s her first new track since 2022’s Lift Me Up and Born Again for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She’s no stranger to animation, having voiced a lead in Home (2015) and recorded original songs for that film. But seeing her step into the role of producer here adds an interesting new layer to her career trajectory.
Still, it was Tyla’s Everything Goes With Blue that lingered long after the credits rolled. Released on June 13 along with much of the rest of the soundtrack, it’s the first song in the film after the theme, and it sets the tone perfectly. Her vocals accompany a joyful dance number in Smurf Village that’s as charming as it is catchy. Hearing a homegrown artist like Tyla featured in a film already pulling in over $600,000 at the box office before its U.S. release is a major win.
Visually, the film takes a bold leap away from the aesthetic of its predecessors. This is no surprise, as more than eight years have passed since the last Smurfs film, and nearly 14 since the first. Animation has evolved, and so has the appetite for reinvention. From Barney to Dora, Winnie the Pooh to Teletubbies, legacy children’s franchises are getting digital makeovers. Whether this is for the next generation of kids or a last-ditch attempt to keep IP alive is up for debate, but the trend is clear.
Personally, I’ve found many redesigns and live-action remakes of beloved animated stories underwhelming (How to Train Your Dragon and Maleficent being rare exceptions). Watching favourite characters reimagined can be jarring. But there’s also something compelling about watching these stories reinvented, reshaped, and rediscovered by new audiences.
This Smurfs movie may not be what die-hard fans of the originals expected. But in breathing new life into old characters, introducing global musical talent, and embracing a more modern visual style, it finds fresh relevance. Even if the shade is a little different, it’s all blue and, according to Tyla, “it look good on me, good on you”.
* Zianda Goldstuck is a university student, animation enthusiast and a youth and popular culture contributor to Gadget.