Smurfs 2 hasn’t even opened up in theaters yet, and the cast is looking ahead to an inevitable third story. 
 
At least, Hank Azaria – who plays the wicked Gargamel in the live-action family comedy – has designs for a narrative thread he’d like to see pursued in The Smurfs 3… if that sequel were to come to fruition. During the press day for Smurfs 2 over the weekend, Azaria was asked by ComingSoon where he thinks Gargamel’s hatred for the little, blue Smurfs came from, and the actor admitted: 
 
“I hear that the third movie, if there is one, might actually deal with the genuine origin of how all these characters ran into each other way back when.”
 
Sony/Columbia actually has The Smurfs 3 programmed into its calendar for July 24, 2015, though that could be erased if, for some reason, this month’s Smurfs sequel underperforms. But we expect the fans who turned out for the first movie to give this latest one a boost at the box office as well. And if Azaria is able to sit in the writer’s room for Smurfs 3, he has some ideas pertaining to his character’s origins, as well.
 
“I imagine Gargamel having attended a Harry Potter-like academy in his youth for wizards, and was sort of the black sheep – first of all, wasn't very good. Second of all, he must have thought the way to really be a powerful magician is to grab these Smurfs and grab their essence and everybody must have said, ‘You're an idiot. Don't waste your life doing that.' And he's been trying his whole life to prove them wrong.”
 
You see? Character development. In a Smurfs movie. It’s not just for kids, after all.
 
The Smurfs 2 arrives in theaters on Wednesday, July 31. Grab tickets for the whole family right here.  
 

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