“How I Met Your Mother” star Neil Patrick Harris will have a starring role in Sony Picture’s upcoming CGI Smurf movie.

“The Smurfs,” directed by Raja Gosnell (Home Alone 3, Big Mamma’ House and Beverly Hill Chihuahua) will mix both animation and live-action sequences and Harris will star in the lead live-action role and not as a Smurf.

“The Smurfs” is planned to be the first of a three part trilogy and filming will begin sometime in April with a tentative release date of July 29, 2011.

While I’ve been reserved with my feelings about a live-action Smurfs film, I can’t help but get more excited with each new additional updates. Not only does the CGI Smurf look fantastic, but now NPH will star in it? Expectations for this movie has now skyrocketed for me. Hopefully it won’t disappoint, because I know NPH will never let me down. Never!

Source: Deadline