Evil never rests, and so Gargamel (Hank Azaria) is back at it again this summer, hard at work on an elaborate scheme to capture his blue arch nemeses the Smurfs. The sequel to Sony’s surprise family hit The Smufs is right around the corner, and a new trailer takes us to Paris, where wicked scientist Gargamel introduces us to the Naughties, his “failed” experiment that goes… right? 

 

 
That’s Christina Ricci voicing Vexy, the lead Naughty who ventures to the Smurfs' kingdom to capture Smurfette (Katy Perry). Will this be another smash hit for the animation studio? 
 
As Neil Patrick Harris asks, “Is a Smurf’s butt blue?”
 
The original Smurfs banked a whopping $563 million worldwide. The sequel will try to improve on that number by appealing to kids and families seeking respite from the summer heat. Look for The Smurfs 2 in theaters starting on July 31. 
 

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