Scooby Doo maker takes on Smurfs

Scooby Doo director Raja Gosnell has signed up to make the animated Smurfs movie, according to trade paper The Hollywood Reporter.

Producer Jordan Kerne, who has been working on the as-yet-untitled film for seven years, said Gosnell is a "brilliant director".

He added that Gosnell has a "deft touch in blending the worlds of physical comedy and honest emotion".

The film, set for release next year, will be shown in 3D and 2D formats.

"Our three-apple-high heroes are in good hands, and we feel absolutely positively Smurfy to be working with him," Kerne said.

Gosnell also directed last year's movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua, starring Drew Barrymore.

The movie combined live actors and settings with photorealistic animated talking animals such as dogs and rats.

It is thought the Smurfs movie will also combine live action and animation.

David Stem and David Weiss, who penned the second and third Shrek movies, are expected to write the film.

The small blue Smurf characters first appeared 50 years ago and were created by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, known as Peyo.

Well-loved characters such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette and the villainous Gargamel are expected to be included in the movie.

Last year it was revealed that studios Columbia and Sony had scooped the film rights to the original 1958 Belgian comic book series - which later became a TV show.

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