The Smurfs (2021 TV series)

Lore & Background

The series was announced on August 31, 2017, when Peyo Productions teamed with Dupuis Audiovisuel to produce a new CGI-animated series, with Véronique Culliford producing. European broadcasters were announced the following year: Ketnet (Flanders), TF1 (France), KiKA (Germany), and La Trois (Wallonia). In 2020, Nickelodeon acquired broadcast rights for several of its channels, though this did not extend to the 1980s series. The CGI animation is based on the film Smurfs: The Lost Village but is an unrelated production.

Reader's Guide

The Smurfs (2021) represents a modern revival of the classic franchise, leveraging CGI animation and international co-production. Its significance lies in reintroducing the characters to a new generation while maintaining the core elements of the original comics. The series has been broadcast in numerous countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Latin America, and is available on Netflix in the US after 18 months on pay-TV. Common Sense Media gave the show 2 out of 5 stars, noting a focus on pratfalls rather than clever plots. As of June 2024, a fourth season has been confirmed, and standalone episodes are in production for 2026.

Did You Know?

• The series is almost entirely produced in Belgium, with 75% of animation at DreamWall in Charleroi.
• The English dub voice cast includes Davis Freeman as Papa Smurf and Lenny Mark Irons as Gargamel.
• The series made its world premiere on April 18, 2021, on La Trois in Belgium.