Homeland star Mandy Patinkin is in final negotiations to voice Papa Smurf in Sony Pictures Animations’ reboot of The Smurfs. Kelly Asbury, the animation vet who was nominated for the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or for Shrek 2 and directed the animated comedy Gnomeo & Juliet, is helming the feature project, which is an all-animated venture. SPA previously made two Smurfs movies as live-action/animation hybrids. This one, however, will be fully animated, something more in line with the designs, tone and look of the works of Peyo, the creator of the popular blue-skinned munchkins. The new movie, which has a release date of Aug. 5, 2016, is being produced by Jordan Kerner and co-produced by Mary Ellen Bauder.
