The Grinch (film)

This article is about the 2018 animated film. For the 2000 live-action film known as The Grinch in the UK, see How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 film).

The Grinch
A green pear-shaped creature (the Grinch, holding a Santa Hat in his hands) seen next to his dog Max looking into Whoville from the cliff, which is seen decorated with Holiday decorations and a Christmas Tree. The film's tagline reads "Scheme big."
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Based onHow the Grinch Stole Christmas!
by Dr. Seuss
Produced by
Starring
Narrated byPharrell Williams
Edited byChris Cartagena
Music byDanny Elfman[1]
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures[2]
Release date
  • November 9, 2018 (2018-11-09)
Running time
85 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$75 million[3]
Box office$540 million[3]

The Grinch, also known as Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, is a 2018 American animated Christmas comedy film produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination, and distributed by Universal. The third screen adaptation of Dr. Seuss' 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, following the 1966 television special and the 2000 live-action feature-length film, it is Illumination's second Dr. Seuss film adaptation, after The Lorax in 2012. The plot follows the Grinch and his pet dog Max who plan to stop Whoville's Christmas celebration by stealing all the town's decorations and gifts.

The film was directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney (in the former's feature directorial debut) and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, from a screenplay written by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow. The film stars the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character, with Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams, who serves as the narrator. The film was announced in 2013, and by 2016, Cumberbatch was cast as the titular character, and Cheney and Peter Candeland were set to direct. However, in 2018, Mosier took over Candeland's position as co-director. Danny Elfman composed the score, with a song written and performed by Tyler, the Creator.

The Grinch was released in the United States on November 9, 2018. It grossed over $540 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time, as well as the highest-grossing Dr. Seuss film adaptation. The film received generally mixed reviews from the critics, who praised the animation and the vocal performances (particularly from Cumberbatch) but criticized the lack of creative license.[4] This was the final Dr. Seuss film adaptation to be released during the lifetime of Seuss's widow Audrey Geisel, who served as executive producer of the film and died on December 19, 2018, five weeks after the film's release.[5]

  1. ^ "Danny Elfman to Score Illumination's 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'". Film Music Reporter. November 20, 2017. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Film releases". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on September 3, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "The Grinch". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  4. ^ Cavna, Michael (November 8, 2018). "Do we need another 'Grinch' movie? Some reviews say yes, but others...". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  5. ^ "Audrey Geisel, widow of Dr. Seuss, dead at 97". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2019.