Terrible new trailer for 'The Smurfs' debuts

Oh boy. I already had a bad feeling back when it was annouced that the big-screen version of "The Smurfs" would be a mix of live action and CGI, but now after seeing this new feature trailer, my expectations couldn't be lower. Sorry to say this, but this thing sure looks like a painful disaster.

Either way, check out the trailer for yourself after the jump. To me, this looks just like another "Alvin and the Chipmunks" kind of torture, and I simply don't get why audiences don't get sick of this crap. "The Smurfs," directed by Raja Gosnell, opens July 29, 2011.

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Neil Patrick Harris to direct 'Aaron and Sarah'

Busy actor/comedian Neil Patrick Harris is planning to step behind the camera for his directorial debut with "Aaron and Sarah," the romantic comedy David O. Russell was originally supposed to helm.

Chad Gomez Creasey and Dara Resnik Creasey wrote the script, which follows a nerd and popular girl who befriend each other as freshmen in high school and see their relationship grow over the years.

The film was set up at Fox 2000, but it's without a studio home right now. Emma Roberts and Josh Hutcherson are attached as the leads, by the way. Harris next stars in "The Smurfs" and "Beastly." (RB)

First 'Smurfs' teaser trailer debuts

What do you expect from a mix of live-action and CGI? Well, anything better than "Garfield" is probably watchable in one way or another, but still, I just can't get overly excited about these movies.

Another CGI/live-action hybrid is "The Smurfs," which debuts in theaters Aug. 3, 2011. The first teaser trailer showed up at Yahoo!Movies, and you can check it out below. No big expectations though please...

So yeah, this is a quick preview, and we do get a good look at the Smurfs as well. They do look like CG of course, but that's something I may be able to somewhat accept as long as the story rocks.

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'Smurfs' casting update: George Lopez joins

Raja Gosnell is currently working on Sony's 3D "Smurfs" flick, which is on scheduled to hit theaters July 29, 2011. Variety now reports Jonathan Winters, George Lopez, Katy Perry and Alan Cumming have boarded the cast for the CG/live-action project.

They are all in talks to voice some characters, with Winters going for Papa Smurf, while Lopez may voice Grouchy Smurf. Cumming will be Gutsy Smurf, and Perry may voice Smurfette. Also starring is Neil Patrick Harris, who will be playing the main live-action character.

Anne Hathaway, Neil Patrick Harris board 'Rio'

The charming Anne Hathaway and funny guy Neil Patrick Harris will lend their voices to the characters in Carlos Saldanha's upcoming 3D animated adventure "Rio" for Blue Sky Studios and Fox Animation.

The Hollywood Reporter says "Rio" focuses on a macaw who abandons his small Minnesota town and heads to Rio de Janeiro to have a great summer. Rodrigo Santoro has also boarded the film's voice cast.

"Rio" is set to open April 8, 2011. Carlos Saldanha most recently directed the summer box office mega hit "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs." He also helmed "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and co-directed the first film.

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Daily news dose: Bradley Cooper in talks for 'A-Team;' Neil Patrick Harris books two flicks

Here's your dose of film news for June 8, 2009:

• The rumors were indeed true: Bradley Cooper is in talks to star as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck in Joe Carnahan's upcoming "A-Team." If he makes a deal, he will be taking over the role played by Dirk Benedict on the original TV series. The remaining characters still need to be cast. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") has scored roles in two upcoming films, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The first project he will join is "The Best and the Brightest," about a couple who moves to New York and dive into the business of private kindergartens. He also joins "Beastly," a modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast."

• A "Puss in Boots" origin flick is already in developmental stages, and Moviehole recently talked to screenwriter David H. Steinberg, who had this to say about the project: "It doesn’t overlap with Shrek at all. Partly that was done to tell an original Puss story, but partly because we didn’t know what 'Shrek 4' (and now 'Shrek 5') were going to do with the characters and we couldn’t write conflicting storylines.’’