FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Little Blue Smurfs Go Big With More Than 160 Day And Date Blue Carpet Premieres Worldwide On "Super Smurf Sunday," July 28, To Celebrate Release Of Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation's "The Smurfs™ 2"

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 23, 2013 - In celebration of the July 31, 2013 release of Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's family comedy The Smurfs™ 2, the studio will host 162 day and date blue carpet premieres in cities around the world on Super Smurf Sunday, July 28.

Through this series of special events, the studio will be rolling out over 11,000 feet of blue carpet in the top 50 cities in North America and 60 international markets, with multiple screenings in many of those countries. Talent from the film will attend local premieres around the world. Among the markets hosting premieres, in addition to the US and Canada, are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Commenting on the announcement, Marc Weinstock, president of Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures, said, "With 162 blue carpet premieres occurring day-and-date all over the world, Super Smurf Sunday is an outstanding way to kick start the final week of promotional activity before the release of our new movie. No matter where you live, you won't be far from one of our events. This allows our fans to get into the Smurf spirit on a local level with fun events featuring local celebrities, regional promotional partners, and wherever possible, talent from our film."

In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs™, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants, and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs, Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world's greatest sorcerer. It's up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue? The film is directed by Raja Gosnell and produced by Jordan Kerner. The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn and Karey Kirkpatrick with a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss & Jay Scherick & David Ronn, Based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

About the Smurfs
The story of the Smurfs - a property created by Peyo - started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more derived products. Leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs and a multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!

About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits - the 2012 monster hit comedy "Hotel Transylvania", the 2011 hybrid live action/animated blockbuster "The Smurfs", and the 2009 mouth-watering "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" - with "The Smurfs 2" in July 2013, and "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2" in September 2013. Sony Pictures Animation, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy "Arthur Christmas"; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, "The Pirates! Band of Misfits". In 2007, "Surf's Up" also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The division, whose first feature film "Open Season" led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.