Italian production company, Rai Ragazzi through its latest agreement with IMPS, the official licensors of The Smurfs, will bring the famous little blue-skinned characters on the Italian public broadcaster for the first time in a brand new 3D version. The adorable animated series will be aired in early 2022.
Created by Peyo, these popular characters will air on Italian preschool channel Rai Yoyo in a new animated series of 52 x 11’ episodes. After 40 years from the first TV appearance, this new series will feature Papa Smurf, Smurfette and all the other inhabitants of the mushroom-shaped houses. The collective imagination of even the newest Italian generations, after being childhood companions of entire generations of children and also adults, who made it one of the greatest hits of the 80s, success still continues to have numerous replicas and wow audiences even today.
Targeted at five to 10 years old, the new TV series will keep intact the DNA of the comics where the Smurfs were born in 1958, combining it with the fast rhythms suitable for today’s viewers aided with adventure and humour.
The upcoming show will be directed by William Renaud (creator of the successful new animated series, Calimero, by Rai Yoyo), and written by Peter Saisselin and Amy Serafin (Alvinnn !!! and the Chipmunks, the series).
The Smurfs is co-produced by A Peyo Productions and Dupuis Audiovisuel production, in collaboration with KIKA, TF1, VRT and RTBF, with the participation of Wallimage (La Wallonie), of Screen Flanders, of BNPPFFF and with the support of the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Government and the participation of the CNC.
