It’s hard to be angry or surprised anymore about any project greenlit in Hollywood these days, especially after getting a “Spider-Man” reboot five years after the very financially (if not critically) successful third Sam Raimi film. Nothing is sacred or above reproach to the studios, not if there’s money to be made. And so this is how we end up in a world where someone is developing a CG-animated take on Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Deadline is reporting that Chris Meledandri-led Illumination Entertainment — the folks behind fare like “Hop” and “Despicable Me” — is teaming up with Universal Pictures to produce CG-animated take on the children’s book classic in the same vein as Meledandri’s previous Seuss adaptations “Horton Hears A Who” and “The Lorax.”
Though most fondly remember Chuck Jones’ iconic take on the Seuss holiday classic, Universal also found great success with their Jim Carrey-starring and Ron Howard-helmed live-action take at the turn of the millennium, making $345 million worldwide. Despite still maintaining the Whoville sets from the Howard film at their theme park, Universal must have looked at the $348 million “The Lorax” brought in worldwide last year and felt that it was time to reintroduce the holiday classic to a new generation of children.
Though no writer has been attached, the project has already found its director in Pete Candeland, an animation director behind many Gorillaz music videos. No release date is set either but rest assured, kids will probably see “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” in 3D. That's just how things go these days. Check out Candeland’s video for Gorillaz’s “Stylo” below, followed by the old school classic cartoon he'll have to try and live up to. Good luck.
