IMPS, The Smurfs’ global license holder, announced at MIFA in Annecy the launch of a new animation production program and the company’s new strategy of expanding The Smurfs franchise and reviving other original creations from creator and storyteller Peyo.
To promote and perpetuate the work and the legacy of Peyo, Véronique Culliford, Peyo’s daughter, founded IMPS in 1984. Under her guidance, The Smurfs has become an immensely popular brand across the globe, reaching an incredible 95% global brand awareness. Today, as a tribute to Peyo, Véronique and IMPS have created Peyo Company to regroup all of Peyo’s fascinating universes under one single new banner.
It’s been an honor to be able to build such a success out of the blue characters my father created. And now I hope we will do the same for some of his other creations, Johan & Peewit and Benny Breakiron. To underline our engagement to expand his legacy beyond the Smurfs, we are renaming IMPS as The Peyo Company. It’s a well-deserved tribute to my father, and features his signature, with which he signed thousands of drawings, as our new logo. – Véronique Culliford
Peyo was a storyteller, he created everlasting worlds and timeless stories filled with adventure, humor, magic, and good universal values, that have reached the heart of multiple generations of fans all around the world. And so Peyo Company – its members, and partners – reflects that spirit continuing to spread this heritage.
The renamed company will tell new stories inspired by Peyo’s creations with a touch of modernity that will resonate with new generations. This begins with the launch of two new TV series projects: The Tales of Johan & Peewit, and Benny Breakiron. Peyo Company is currently looking for talents to make these exciting projects happen.
There are also new projects coming from the Smurfs’ Village: Season 2 is coming to Netflix on June 30, and Season 3 will launch on Nickelodeon this summer, while Season 4 is in pre-development. The cherry on the cake is a new Paramount movie scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release in February 2025.
Nele De Wilde, CCO at Peyo Company, stated:
We are delighted to be working with Paramount Animation on an all-new theatrical production, The Smurfs Movie. Paramount pulled together a dream team of filmmakers led by the smurftastic director, Chris Miller, co-director Matt Landon, and producers Ryan Harris, Rihanna, Laurence “jay” Brown, and Tyran “ty-ty” Smith. This fresh take on the beloved Smurfs will see them go on an interdimensional adventure to discover the power within and answer the universal question: “What is a Smurf?”. We’re thrilled that Rihanna is on board to voice Smurfette and write, produce, and perform original songs for the film.
