Hollywood
Sony Pictures Entertainment to release ‘The Smurfs 2’ on 2 August
NEW DELHI: The adorable and widely popular blue Belgian friends are back to spread their magic on the big screen from 2 August.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is all set to release live action/animated family blockbuster comedy, The Smurfs 2 in 3D. The film will be released in English and Hindi in all key metros and is a sequel to the 2011 film The Smurfs and based on the characters and works of Belgian comics artist Peyo. The Hindi version has a song rendered by the nine participants of Sony Entertainment TV channel’s Indian Idol Junior.
In this sequel the friendly blue creatures from mushroom houses promise to entertain their fans with more mischief and adventure.
In this installment Director Raja Gosnell introduces two new characters, the Naughties, Hackus and Vexy.
The film stars Neil Patrick Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Jayma Mays, with Katy Perry as Smurfette and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. Joining the voice cast are Christina Ricci and JB Smoove as Vexy and Hackus.
In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a group of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties to harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a true blue Smurf can give him what he wants – and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs – Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and imprisons her in the city of Paris. To save their beloved Smurfette, Papa and the Smurfs return to our world and reunite with Patrick and Grace Winslow, joined in their new adventure by Patrick’s estranged stepfather Vic, before Gargamel can learn the secret and rule the world!
The Smurfs, the world’s favourite three-apple-high heroes have entertained children and adults around the world since its inception in a Belgian comic book in 1958. The Smurfs have been a great success in every medium, right from coming to life in comics, books, television series, films, videogames, live shows, figurines and finally, they ruled the world’s box office.
The film was a global phenomenon, going on to take in over $560 million and won hearts of people across the globe.
Hollywood
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs as new CEO Josh D’Amaro streamlines ops
Layoffs span marketing, ESPN and studios as Disney adapts to industry shifts
CALIFORNIA: The Walt Disney Company has begun laying off employees as its new chief executive Josh D’Amaro moves to streamline operations and recalibrate the business for a shifting entertainment landscape.
About 1,000 positions will be eliminated, according to a person familiar with the development.
The cuts will affect multiple divisions, including marketing, studio and television operations, ESPN, as well as products, technology and certain corporate functions. The marketing unit, notably, had already undergone a restructuring earlier this year.
In an internal email seen by Reuters, The Walt Disney Company chief executive Josh D’Amaro said the changes were part of a broader push to future-proof the company. “Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs,” he wrote, adding that some roles would be eliminated as a result.
Notifications have already begun rolling out this week, signalling the start of another round of belt-tightening at the entertainment giant.
The move comes as Disney and its peers grapple with a tough new reality. Traditional television revenues are declining, box office returns have softened, and competition in streaming remains intense. Rivals such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance have also undertaken layoffs in recent months, underlining a broader industry reset.
This is not Disney’s first major workforce reduction. In 2023, the company announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs in a cost-saving drive aimed at reducing expenses by $5.5 billion. At the time, it was also facing pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz to improve financial performance and rein in streaming losses.
As of the end of its last fiscal year in September, Disney employed roughly 231,000 people worldwide.
The latest cuts suggest that even as the magic endures on screen, behind the scenes Disney is tightening its script to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving media world.
