The Smurfs celebrate 50th birthday

Smurf Village is to be given an injection of female influence as the characters celebrate their 50th birthday.

The Smurfs first appeared in Belgian comic book Le Journal de Spirou on October 23, 1958. The small blue creatures went on to get their own cartoon, which is now published in more than 30 languages.

Paramount Pictures has confirmed that it is making a Smurf movie, and a series of 26 half-hour episodes are also in the pipeline.

According to ITN, female empowerment is about to hit the woodland world in its 50th year.

Hendrik Coysman, head of Smurf Rights Holdings, said: "There have been dramatic changes in the socio-cultural values in the past 20 or 25 years. One of these is girl empowerment.

"So, there will be more female presence within the Smurf Village and this will, of course, be a basis for new stories and this will probably turn upside down certain traditional situations within the village."