This can be considered an early Christmas surprise: Jim Carrey and Ron Howard will join forces again to create a sequel to the 2000 live-action box office hit "The Grinch." On June 18, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment are developing a sequel to the popular Grinch movie. What is even more concerning is that the media revealed that Carrey is in negotiations to return to play the classic role of the Grinch; at the same time, Howard will serve as a producer and will also return to direct the sequel.
According to the "Hollywood Reporter", this sequel has not yet been named, and the script is co-written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaeffer and David Mandel. The three screenwriters have previously collaborated on the adaptation of another live-action IP work by Dr. Seuss - "The Cat in the Hat" starring Mike Myers in 2003. In addition, the three have also participated in the creation of film and television projects such as "Barry", "Dave", "Calm Down" and "Veep".
Jim Carrey is currently semi-retired and returns to star in the Sonic movies every few years. He had previously expressed his willingness to play the Grinch again, but proposed using motion capture technology instead of putting on the iconic makeup and costumes - a tedious styling process that made him miserable when he played the Christmas-hating character.
"The makeup process back then was excruciating." Carrey said in an interview with Comicbook.com in 2024. "I kept saying in my heart 'It's all for the children, it's all for the children' throughout the whole process. Now with technology such as motion capture, I can not suffer this pain and still complete the performance. Nothing is impossible in the world."
The original "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" starring Carrey was a box office success after its release in 2000, with a global box office total of US$345 million. Over the years, the film has become a recognized Christmas classic and a hit on streaming platforms every holiday season. Last year, Walton Goggins even won the business cooperation of Walmart by cosplaying the Grinch. Therefore, it makes sense to release a sequel while the iron is hot while the creative team is still alive and able to participate in the creation. Can the sequel be as good as its predecessor? I'm not sure, but Christmas is a time when miracles happen...