‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ to Get a Sequel

One of the most popular Christmas movies of all time is getting a sequel.

The Hollywood Reporter writes that more than 25 years after the live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a sequel is now in the works. Ron Howard, who directed the original, will return to direct the new film, while Jim Carrey, who starred as the Grinch, is also “in talks to reprise his role.”

How the Grinch Stole Christmas was the first big live-action version of Seuss’ tale of the grouchy Grinch, who despises Christmas, and tries to ruin it for the residents of Whoville. The book was first published in 1957 and partly became such a beloved holiday favorite thanks to a popular animated television special from 1966.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas did not get good reviews — Roger Ebert wrote “I think a lot of children are going to look at this movie with perplexity and distaste. It’s just not much fun.” — but it was a massive box-office hit, becoming the top-grossing film of the year 2000, with $260.7 million in ticket sales in the U.S. alone. Jim Carrey famously struggled to deal with the arduous makeup process for the Grinch — which wound up winning an Academy Award for Best Makeup the following spring.

Since How the Grinch Stole Christmas, there’s been a 2018 animated feature called simply The Grinch, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the title character.

In the years since How the Grinch Stole Christmas opened in theaters, it’s become an annual holiday favorite, and continues to do very well on cable and on streaming every Christmas. I’m not sure how you make a sequel once the Grinch learns to be a nicer guy who’s learned to love Christmas, but I guess figuring that out is Ron Howard’s problem, not mine.