Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies announced on Thursday that Rihanna will star as Smurfette in the Untitled Smurfs Animated Filmwhich is set to release on February 14, 2025.
The untitled movie is set to be co-directed by Chris Miller and Matt Landon, with Rihanna, Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith, and Ryan Harris attached as producers. Alongside her starring role and production credits, Rihanna will also create and perform original music for the film.
“On behalf of our studio and our creative partners at LAFIG, we couldn’t be more excited to have found our Smurfette in one of the most beloved stars in the world,” said Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, and Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation.
“With Rihanna’s singular creative appeal and musical talents, there is an enormous opportunity to elevate the cultural touchstone of The Smurfs universe in a way that’s never been done before.”
News of a new Smurfs film in development was reported last year, and is said to be the first film to come from the partnership that Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation made with Smurfs license holders LAFIG Belgium and IMPS, which gave the former the ability to produce multiple movies based on the hit franchise.
The Smurfs franchise is no stranger to the world of film, as multiple movies have been made about the characters in the past decade or so, starting with Sony’s 2011 film The Smurfs and its 2013 sequel, with the latest film being the 2017 animated film Smurfs : The Lost Village.