Jim Carrey and Ron Howard are eyeing a Grinch sequel at Universal
Universal and Imagine Entertainment are developing a sequel to the 2000 live-action holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with Jim Carrey in talks to reprise his role and director Ron Howard attached to return behind the camera.
TL;DR
- Universal and Imagine Entertainment are developing a sequel to the 2000 live-action Grinch film, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
- Jim Carrey is in talks to reprise the title role; Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer are both expected to return.
- The script is being written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer, and David Mandel — the trio behind Curb Your Enthusiasm and Veep.
- No plot details, release date, or UK distribution deal have been announced yet.
What we know about the Grinch sequel
The untitled sequel is currently in development at Universal and Imagine Entertainment, with Carrey set to reprise the title role. Howard will direct and produce alongside Brian Grazer for Imagine Entertainment, while Susan Brandt, CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, is overseeing the project on the rights holder’s side.
The screenplay is being written by Alec Berg (Barry, Silicon Valley), Jeff Schaffer (Dave), and David Mandel (Veep, Curb Your Enthusiasm). All three writers previously collaborated on the 2003 Dr. Seuss adaptation The Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers — a film that fared considerably less well with audiences and critics.
The sequel’s plot is being kept under wraps for now. Talks are described as ongoing, and no production timeline has been confirmed.
The original film’s legacy — and a UK angle
The 2000 original was known simply as The Grinch in the UK, where it became a festive staple on terrestrial and satellite television for over two decades.
The film earned more than $350 million at the global box office, making it a considerable success at the time. Domestically, it brought in $260 million and ranked as the highest-grossing film of 2000 in the United States. Worldwide, it grossed $346 million, placing sixth among all films that year.
The film was produced on a budget of $123 million and was narrated by Welsh acting legend Anthony Hopkins — a notable UK talent connection that gave the film added prestige on this side of the Atlantic.
The original also won the Academy Award for Best Makeup for Rick Baker and Gail Rowell-Ryan, who transformed Carrey for the role each day in a process that took around eight hours.
Carrey’s complicated history with the makeup
Carrey has recalled the experience as extremely difficult. He reportedly wanted to quit on the very first day of production and return his $20 million fee — and only got through the process with help from a man who trained CIA agents to withstand torture. The makeup was eventually reduced to around three hours a day.
That history makes the sequel’s production approach a key question. Carrey has previously said he would be open to revisiting the role if motion capture technology could be used, telling ComicBook.com in 2024: “The thing about it is, on the day, I do that with a ton of makeup and can hardly breathe. It was an extremely excruciating process. The children were in my mind all the time. ‘It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids.’ And now, with motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do other things.”
Whether the sequel will use practical makeup, motion capture, or a hybrid approach has not been confirmed.
Carrey’s wider comeback
This announcement sits alongside Carrey’s broader return to blockbuster filmmaking. He is also set to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 4, due in 2027. After a relatively quiet period following his semi-retirement announcement in 2022, Carrey is clearly re-engaging with franchise work.
For fans of big-screen family blockbusters, this is shaping up to be a busy spell — earlier this year we covered the A Minecraft Movie sequel getting officially greenlit with Kirsten Dunst joining the cast, and Masters of the Universe proved nostalgia IP is very much back in fashion.
What’s next
Universal and Imagine have not set a production start date or release window. The 2018 animated Grinch from Illumination — a separate take on the same Dr. Seuss source material — grossed $512.7 million worldwide, which likely gives Universal strong commercial incentive to push a live-action follow-up into production sooner rather than later.
UK distribution details, a BBFC rating, and streaming or theatrical windows have not yet been announced. Screen & Story will update this article as information becomes available.
| Stat | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2000 original worldwide gross | $346 million |
| 2000 original domestic gross | $260 million |
| Production budget | $123 million |
| Makeup time per day (original) | ~8 hours |
Sources: Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 19 June 2026.
Lewis Calvert Founder & Editor, BriefLedger
Lewis founded BriefLedger and has six years of experience covering film, TV, and entertainment news. He leads the site’s Movies and TV sections and runs the news desk — always with a straight-talking British take.
