Benedict Cumberbatch News: 'Sherlock' Star Steals Christmas as Illumination's 'The Grinch' Animated Character

By Abigail Briones, Christian Post Contributor Friday, April 15, 2016

Universal Pictures' subsidiary, Illumination, the animation studio which was behind "Despicable Me" and "Minions," is working on an animated film remake of Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" entitled "The Grinch," with the lead role to be taken on by Benedict Cumberbatch. This choice of an actor was explained on Entertainment Weekly by Chris Meledandri, producer, saying that Cumberbatch had the voice they were looking for which imparted "comedic wickedness while embodying vulnerability."

The film tells the familiar tale of the Grinch who hates Christmas and plots to take away the joy of the season from the people of Whoville where he resides. The story for "The Grinch" was adapted by Michael LeSieur from the children's Dr. Seuss favorite book and will be directed by Yarrow Cheney and Pete Candeland. The film is set for release on Nov. 17, 2017, just in time for the holiday season.

Cumberbatch will be the third actor to play the holiday-hating character. The original animated movie in 1966 was voiced by Boris Karloff. In 2000, Jim Carrey played the live-action green-furred wretch in Ron Howard's version of the tale, which had brought in more than $55 million on opening weekend, $345 million on a worldwide scale, and bagging the Oscar for Best Makeup.

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The Grinch is not the first character Cumberbatch has played. The "Doctor Strange" actor has spent some years playing the avaricious and intelligently malevolent antagonist Smaug in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" series. Before that he was the leader, Classified, of the rescue team, the North Wind, in the animation "Penguins of Madagascar."

This actor playing the famous detective on 221B Baker Street has other future animation films in his roster. Cumberbatch will be voicing Shere Khan in the live-action fantasy film by Andy Serkis, "Jungle Book," which was pushed to a later 2018 release.

The upcoming Marvel film "Doctor Strange" in which he plays the titular role will be out Nov. 4.