LOS ANGELES: Even before the release of their upcoming "Smurfs" sequel, Sony Pictures Animation and Columbia Pictures are feeling very confident and are already developing a script for "Smurfs 3" with "Over the Hedge" duo writers Karey Kirkpatrick and Chris Poche.

Released last summer, "The Smurfs", based on the Belgian comic, did well at the box-office worldwide. Sony wasted no time announcing a sequel, waiting all of 12 days before setting a July 31, 2013 release for "Smurfs 2."

The Sequel will see the return of director Raja Gosnell, producer Jordan Kerner and executive producer Ezra Swerdlow. Even most of the original cast has been retained for the sequel – Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays and Hank Azaria. New cast members include Brendan Gleeson, J.B. Smoove as a naughty smurf named Hackus and Christina Ricci as Vexy, an evil version of Smurfette played by Katy Perry.