Jimmy Kimmel is paying a return visit to Smurf Village.
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host has joined the voice cast of Paramount’s upcoming Smurfs movie, Variety reports. While the new Smurfs flick starts from scratch, Kimmel is the new project will be the second Smurfs film he’s been a part of.
A live-action/animated hybrid, Smurfs is said to be a musical comedy. It will mark the first Smurfs franchase film since 2017’s Smurfs: The Lost Village, the last of of three Smurfs films released by Sony since 2011. Kimmel voiced Passive Aggressive Smurf in 2013’s The Smurfs 2.
In 2022, Paramount and Nickelodeon acquired the rights to the franchise from Sony./p>
Chris Miller is directing Smurfs from a script by Pam Brady.
Details on Kimmel’s role in the reboot were not disclosed. The film’s star-studded cast includes Rihanna as Smurfette, and also features Nick Offerman, Natasha Lyonne, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, John Goodman, and former Late Late Show host James Corden.
Kimmel’s recent voice work in film includes The Boss Baby: Family Business and Paw Patrol: The Movie, both released in 2021. He’s also made a few live-action cameos as himself as of late, including the film Ezra, the Max series Hacks, and Tom Segura’s Netflix series Bad Thoughts.
Late-night hosts dipping their toes into animation also seems to be a trend this week. Just days ago, Conan O’Brien revealed that he’s joined the cast of Toy Story 5, lending his voice to a new character called Smarty Pants.
