Rihanna leads the animated film The Smurfs with original music

Step aside Trolls: Rihanna is here to slay like a midget.

As Universal’s animated musical “Trolls” franchise goes from strength to strength with the upcoming “Trolls Band Together,” Paramount Pictures unveiled an animated “Trolls” movie starring Oscar-nominated Grammy winner Rihanna as Trolls at Thursday’s CinemaCon.

Rihanna will compose and perform original music for the film, as well as serve as a producer. “The Smurfs” opens in theaters on February 14, 2025 from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies.

Chris Miller and Matt Landon (“22 Jump Street,” “The Lego Movie”) are co-directing “Smurfs,” based on the characters created by Peyo. “South Park” producer and “Team America: World Police” writer Pam Brady wrote the screenplay. Along with Rihanna, Ryan Harris, Laurence “Jay” Brown and Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith are producing.

The “Smurfs” movie franchise began in 2011 with “The Smurfs,” starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sofia Vergara, and Katy Perry as the Smurf. Now Rihanna is taking over the role. A sequel, “The Smurfs 2,” debuted in 2013, followed by 2017’s “Smurfs: The Lost Village,” starring Demi Lovato as the Smurf. Julia Roberts, Jack McBrayer, Ariel Winter and Danny Pudi have been cast in “The Lost Village,” but no further casting announcements have been made for the upcoming, untitled film.

Rihanna recently performed “Lift Me Up” at the 2023 Oscars, where she was nominated for Best Original Song for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” A nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rihanna has eight multi-platinum albums and 14 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

Rihanna’s last full-length release, “Anti”, was released in 2016. Since its release, Rihanna has focused on her Fenty empire and becoming a certified billionaire mogul. The “Take a Bow” singer performed while pregnant with her second child at State Farm Stadium in Arizona at the Super Bowl LVII halftime show earlier this year.

Rihanna previously appeared in the 2012 film ‘Battleship’ and in 2013 starred as herself in the comedy ‘This Is the End’. He also starred in the 2014 remake of the musical “Annie” and had two episodes of the series “Bates Motel.” The “Umbrella” singer also starred in the films “Ocean’s 8” and “Guava Island,” making her last screen appearance in 2019.

Rihanna debuted as a voice actor in 2015 with the song Home. The Smurfs will be his second animated film.

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