PRESS ASSOCIATION -- The success of The Smurfs movie has led to a sequel being greenlit less than two weeks after its release.
The first big screen adventure from the little blue creatures has already grossed more than $135 million (£83m) worldwide, and now Sony Pictures has set a release date of August 2, 2013 for The Smurfs 2, Variety reports.
The Smurfs movie, in 3D, brings the blue cartoon creatures to the big screen, with a voice and live-action cast that includes Katy Perry, Hank Azaria, George Lopez and Jonathan Winters.
It tells the story of how The Smurfs are accidentally sucked through a vortex and end up in New York, where they befriend a young marketing executive, played by Neil Patrick Harris, and his wife (Jayma Mays from Glee) who let them stay in their apartment.
It is not yet known what the story will be in the sequel, or which of the stars will be reprising their roles.
Singer Perry, who voices Smurfette, previously revealed she loved working on the animation.
She said: "The Smurfs movie was really fun for me because a lot of times, you know, 360 days out of the year I feel like a cartoon. So I thought playing a cartoon was a natural thing to do.
"With The Smurfs I get to walk into the studio and I can be in my pyjamas and I make a really cute little voice, which is kind of a mixture of my voice and a little voice."