ViacomCBS Brings The Smurfs to Nickelodeon

Jokey and Brainy Smurf | Source: Nickelodeon/The Toy Book

The iconic blue mushroom dwellers are getting a major brand relaunch.

LAFIG Belgium and IMPS, global licensors for The Smurfs, are partnering with Nickelodeon for an update of the property aimed at a new generation of kids and families around the world. Under the new deal, Nickelodeon licensed global rights to the franchise to produce an original CG-animated series while parent company ViacomCBS takes the reigns to manage consumer products licensing for The Smurfs across the North America, the UK, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Hefty, Clumsy, and others will be back for the new series which is said to be “packed with humor, heart and high-stakes action.”

“The Smurfs is an iconic global franchise that has resonated with audiences for decades,” says Pam Kaufman, president, ViacomCBS Consumer Products. “By partnering with LAFIG, we are able to join our creative forces to bring an all-new line of consumer products across multiple categories to consumers, along with a fresh and original animated series.”

New products for The Smurfs will be developed across categories including toys, stationery, apparel and accessories, home, consumer packaged goods, and more.

The series is slated to debut next year with products set to arrive in 2022.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.