According to a rumor, Netflix has found someone to replace Jim Carrey as The Grinch, and it is one of the stars of the beloved series Stranger Things (2016).
Ever since Dr. Seuss introduced the character, The Grinch has become one of the most iconic characters of Christmas. The ultimate Scrooge, How The Grinch Stole Christmas first gained widespread acclaim as a book published in 1957. Soon, he became even more popular when the holiday special was released in 1966, voiced by Boris Karloff, and it featured one of the best Christmas songs of all time, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” performed by Thurl Ravenscroft.
The Grinch went on to become the central character of numerous other television films and series, including Halloween is Grinch Night (1977) and The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982). However, arguably the most beloved version of the character is the one portrayed by Jim Carrey in the live-action film released in 2000 directed by Ron Howard.
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Since Carrey made his mark on the beloved character, The Grinch has popped up as Christmas decorations, appearing at Universal Studios theme parks during Grinchmas and even on the Broadway stage.
Still, none of the actors have matched the same manic energy and enjoyable grumpiness Jim Carrey brought to the role, including Benedict Cumberbatch in The Grinch (2018) and Matthew Morrison in Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical LIVE! (2020). But according to rumors online, Netflix thinks they have the perfect replacement for the character.
Iconic ‘Stranger Things’ Actor Reportedly Tapped To Play The Grinch
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Ever since it debuted, Stranger Things has grabbed the attention of audiences worldwide, not only because of the incredible stories created by the Duffer Brothers but also because of the incredible young cast. This includes Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Noah Schnapp as Will, and Sadie Sink as Max.
The adults also more than make their mark, with powerful performances from Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and Brett Gelman. And if the rumors are to be believed, one of these actors will soon take over the Grinch mantle.
According to a poster making the rounds online, Netflix is producing a follow-up, simply titled Mr. Grinch. The poster has several pieces of information: the film will be released on December 4, 2023, and it will star David Harbour.
On top of this, the poster included a synopsis: “Get ready for a jolly, green Christmas with Mr. Grinch, hitting Netflix on December 4! David Harbour steps into the iconic role, bringing a fresh and mischievous charm to everyone’s favorite holiday curmudgeon. Join in on the festive fun as Mr. Grinch learns the true meaning of Christmas in this heartwarming and hilarious family film.”
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Since his grumpy turn as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things, actor David Harbour’s career has blown up, creating more gruff and fun characters like Red Guardian in Black Widow (2021), the titular character in Hellboy (2019), and Jack Salter in Gran Turismo (2023). And if the rumors are true, audiences will soon see him take on Dr. Seuss’ most revered character.
Does the Rumor Have Credibility?
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To put it bluntly, no. When you look at the image of The Grinch on the poster, it is clearly AI-generated. Also, he is absolutely terrifying, far too frightening to appear in a film for children. This isn’t the horror adaptation The Mean One (2022), similar in tone to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023).
On top of this, Netflix does not have a Grinch movie on its slate for December. In fact, Netflix has no plans to create a remake, period. The rights to use the Grinch name belong to Dr. Seuss Enterprises, so time will tell if we get another film starring “everyone’s favorite holiday curmudgeon.”
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That being said, David Harbour would be the perfect casting for The Grinch. Not only does he have an affable grumpiness to his performances as Hopper and Red Guardian, but he is also incredibly physical. It would be a blast to really see him dig into this role.
If you do want some David Harbour goodness for your holiday season, Violent Night (2022) is a hilarious film about Santa Claus protecting a little girl and fighting a group of kidnappers. While it’s not for kids, it is great fun, and David Harbour is incredible. A sequel should be on its way shortly.
Who would you like to see play The Grinch in a remake?
This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.
