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
UK watchdog CMA to probe Warner Bros-Paramount merger deal
Phase 1 review to assess competition risks as industry voices opposition
LONDON: The Competition and Markets Authority is set to launch a preliminary investigation into the proposed $110 billion merger between Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount, marking the first formal regulatory step in assessing the deal’s impact on competition.
The UK watchdog has initiated a consultation process with industry stakeholders, inviting comments until April 27. This phase, known as a Phase 1 review, will evaluate whether the merger could harm competition across the film and television sectors, both of which play a significant role in the UK economy.
“We expect to launch our phase 1 investigation in the coming weeks,” said Competition and Markets Authority spokesperson, in an emailed statement to Reuters. “The film and TV industries contribute billions to our economy, so it’s important we assess whether deals between studios may harm competition.”
The proposed transaction, which also involves Skydance Media, would bring together two of Hollywood’s largest studios, combining extensive content libraries and potentially reshaping the global entertainment landscape.
Following the initial assessment, the regulator will decide whether to escalate the matter to a more detailed Phase 2 investigation, which typically involves deeper scrutiny of market dynamics and competitive risks.
The deal is already facing growing resistance from within the creative community. More than 1,000 industry professionals, including Jane Fonda, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Stiller, have publicly opposed the merger, warning it could reduce opportunities, limit storytelling diversity and place further strain on an industry still adjusting to rapid change.
As regulators begin to weigh the implications, the proposed merger is shaping up to be a defining test of how far consolidation can go in a media industry already in flux.
