the-smurfs-2Heitor Pereira is reuniting with director Raja Gosnell on the upcoming hybrid live action/animated sequel The Smurfs 2. The family comedy stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara and Hank Azaria who all reprise their characters from the original movie. Brendan Gleeson joins the cast as Patrick Winslow’s stepfather, Victor Doyle. The movie’s voice talent includes Katy Perry, Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, John Oliver, Christina Ricci and JB Smoove. J. David Stem & David N. Weiss (Shrek 2), Karey Kirkpatrick (Over the Hedge) and Jay Scherick & David Ronn (Guess Who, Zookeeper) have written the screenplay based on the characters and works of Peyo and Jordan Kerner (Fried Green Tomatoes) is producing the project. Apart from his collaboration with Gosnell on 2011’s The Smurfs feature, Pereira has also worked together with the director on Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua. The Smurfs 2 will be released on July 31, 2013 by Sony Pictures. To learn more about the film, visit the official movie website.

As previously reported, Pereira is also scoring the animated film sequel Despicable Me 2, which is set for a release on July 3, 2013 by Universal Pictures.