GOSNELL TO HELM "SMURFS"

Raja Gosnell has signed on to direct the live action/animated hybrid "Smurfs" movie for Columbia Pictures and Sony Animation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

 Jordan Kerner ("Charlotte's Web") is producing while J. David Stem and David N. Weiss ("Shrek 2" and "Shrek the Third") and Audrey Wells ("George of the Jungle") wrote the script.

Kerner, who has been developing the project for the past seven years, said: "With Raja coming aboard, we now have a brilliant director who has proven time and again that he has a deft touch in blending the worlds of physical comedy and honest emotion with both live action and photo-real animated characters. Our three-apple-high heroes are in good hands, and we feel absolutely positively Smurfy to be working with him."

The film will be released in 3D and 2D formats on Dec. 17, 2010.


Gosnell, repped by CAA, also directed "Scooby-Doo" and "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed," as well as last year's "Beverly Hills Chihuahua", along with the romantic comedy "Never Been Kissed", "Big Momma's House" and "Yours Mine and Ours."