The Smurfs 2 is a 2013 American fantasy comedy film loosely based on The Smurfs comic book series created by the Belgian comics artist Peyo. It is the second film in the Smurfs film series and a sequel to the 2011 film The Smurfs, produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Kerner Entertainment Company and Hemisphere Media Capital, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film is directed by Raja Gosnell, who helmed the first, with all the main cast returning. New cast members include Christina Ricci and J. B. Smoove as members of the Naughties, and Brendan Gleeson as Patrick Winslow's stepfather.
The Smurfs 2 was released on July 31, 2013, and received generally negative reviews from critics for its humor, characters, plot, screenplay and perceived lack of fidelity to its source material. It was not as commercially successful as its predecessor, grossing $347 million against a $105 million budget. The film was dedicated to Jonathan Winters, who voiced Papa Smurf in both films and died a few months before the film's release. A fully animated reboot titled Smurfs: The Lost Village was released on April 7, 2017, directed by Kelly Asbury with Sony and Kerner returning to produce the film while having an all new cast (with the exception of Frank Welker as Azrael).
Plot
On Smurfette's birthday, the Smurfs read out the story of how she was created by Gargamel to destroy them, only for Papa Smurf to rescue her and turn her into a true blue Smurf. Meanwhile, she is having nightmares about reverting to her original form and betraying her fellow Smurfs by turning them over to Gargamel. The Smurfs are planning a surprise party for Smurfette and try to hide the preparations from her, which makes Smurfette believe that everyone has forgotten her birthday.
In Paris, Gargamel and Azrael are now celebrities, amazing people with Gargamel's sorcery, but he is running low on the Smurf essence that gives him his magic powers. With his new creations, evil Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties, named Vexy and Hackus, Gargamel creates a portal to Smurf Village by using the Eiffel Tower as a conduit so that he can kidnap Smurfette to obtain Papa's secret formula for creating Smurfs. However, Gargamel is too large to go through the portal, so he sends Vexy through it to kidnap Smurfette.
The Smurfs witness the abduction of Smurfette and inform Papa, who uses his magic to create crystals that allow several of his Smurfs to travel directly to the residence of their human allies, Patrick and Grace Winslow, in New York City in order to seek their help to rescue Smurfette. Papa originally intends for Brainy, Hefty and Gutsy to use the crystals, but through an accident, Clumsy, Grouchy and Vanity use them instead. The Smurfs arrive to Patrick and Grace's apartment right after the celebration of their son Blue's fourth birthday where they also meet Patrick's stepfather, Victor Doyle. The Smurfs learn that Gargamel is in Paris and set off with the Winslows and Victor to find him.
Upon arriving to Paris, Patrick and Victor distract Gargamel during one of his performances at the Palais Garnier, while the Smurfs sneak backstage in Gargamel's dressing room to look for Smurfette, only to discover what Gargamel is planning. At the same time, Smurfette escapes from her prison, and the Naughties chase after her. Vexy encourages Smurfette to be naughty for fun to get her on their side, and, in the process, the three of them truly befriend with each other.
Upon their return to Gargamel's hotel suite, Gargamel presents Smurfette with a tiny dragon wand as a feigned act of kindness. Smurfette still refuses to give Gargamel the formula until she sees the Naughties are dying due to a lack of Smurf essence. Faced without an alternative to save them, Smurfette writes the formula down and Gargamel uses it to turn the Naughties into real Smurfs. Immediately after they become Smurfs, Gargamel puts them into his Smurfalator machine to extract their essence.