Good news for
"Carol" fans... a new,
big-budget film is in the works!
Because you can never have too
many... if they're good. Whether
or not this version will be good
remains to be seen, but the
forces behind it have proven
themselves in the past.
Robert
Zemeckis’s next film,
“A Christmas Carol,”
scheduled for release on November
6, 2009, will feature some
major star names. The movie will
be CGI, similar to films such as
"The Polar Express"
with the star's performances
being motion-captured and
translated to the animated
characters. Jim Carrey will play
Ebenezer Scrooge plus the three
Spirits of Christmas that haunt
him in “A Christmas
Carol,” an adaptation of the
Charles Dickens tale that Robert
Zemeckis wrote and will direct
for Walt Disney Pictures.
Zemeckis wrote the script
specifically with Carrey in mind,
and the actor immediately said
yes. Besides Carrey as Scrooge
and the Spirits, the director is
reportedly in talks with Tom
Hanks to play Bob Cratchit.
Zemeckis has stated previously
that A Christmas Carol is
one of his favorite stories
dealing with time travel, so it's
appropriate that Zemeckis
"Back To The Future"
stars Christopher Lloyd and
Michael J. Fox are lined up to
portray Marley's Ghost and Tiny
Tim, respectively. Another
Zemeckis alumni Bob Hoskins may
play Scrooge's old boss Fezziwig.
Zemeckis will shoot the
film using “performance
capture/Disney digital 3-D”
animation, a continuing evolution of
techniques he introduced in “Polar
Express.” The new film will be the
very first project produced by
ImageMoversDigital, the performance
capture company that Disney just set up
with Zemeckis.
Bah,
humbug! You're a mean one, Mr.
Carrey...
Having taken this role, Carrey
will have played the two most
legendary Christmas haters of all
time -- Scrooge and The Grinch.
But both are stories of
redemption and the triumph of
love and the holiday spirit in an
atrophied heart. We look forward
to Christmas of 2009 for the
release of this new film.
Copyright
ImageMoversDigital / Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All Rights Reserved
Keep watch on this page for
more news, pictures and announcements on
this exciting project as they become
available!
German poster revealed with
new image! (Click on image to view larger
size.)
Update: 6-20-09
New poster released! (Click on
image to view larger size.)
Update: 1-9-2009
First image of CGI Scrooge!
Update: 3-17-2008
"A Christmas Carol"
to be released in 3-D!
Industry insiders list November
6th, 2009 as the likely release
date for the movie...but perhaps the
biggest news is that the film is being
given the digital 3D treatment! Most
upcoming CGI animation films to be
released in the next few years will be in
stereoscopic 3D, and "A Christmas
Carol" joins them.
Update: 12-2-2007
New Christmas
Carol Cast Members
Robert
Zemeckis revealed in a podcast on the
official Beowulf site that Bob Hoskins,
Colin Firth and Gary Oldman have joined
Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol. In her
own podcast, Robin Wright Penn announced
she was also in A Christmas Carol. There
was no mention of [the rumored] Tom
Hanks, Christopher Lloyd or Michael J.
Fox, although that does not mean they
will not be in the film.
Cast so far: Jim Carrey, Cary Elwes,
Bob Hoskins, Colin Firth, Gary Oldman,
Robin Wright Penn
With a new version being made,
it's a good time to look back and review
the timeline of the various versions to
come out over the years...
FILM CHRONOLOGY
1910 A Christmas Carol with
Charles Ogle
1911 A Christmas Carol with
William Bechtel; director, Charles Kent
1915 A Christmas Carol with
Delmer Daves
1917 A Bit o' Heaven (AKAThe
Birds' Christmas Carol) Director,
Lule Warrenton; written by Kate Douglas
Wiggin
1935 Scrooge with Seymour
Hicks; director, Harry Edwards
1938 A Christmas Carol with
Reginald Owen; director, Edward Marin
1951 A Christmas Carol with
Alistair Sim; director, Richard Adinsell
1954 A Christmas Carol
(musical) with Fredric March; director,
Ralph Levy; written by Maxwell Anderson
1962 Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
(animated) with the voice of Jim Backus
1964 Carol For Another Christmas
with Sterling Hayden; director, Joseph
L.Mankiewicz; written by Rod Serling
1970 Scrooge (musical) with
Albert Finney; director, Ronald Neame;
music by Leslie Bricusse.
1971 A Christmas Carol
(animated) with the voice of Alistair
Sim; director, Richard Williams
1979 An American Christmas Carol
with Henry Winkler; director, Eric Till
1979 Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol
(animated)
1983 Mickey's Christmas Carol
(animated) with the voice of Alan Young;
director, Burny Mattinson
1984 A Christmas Carol (TV)
with George C. Scott; director, Clive
Donner
1988 Scrooged with Bill
Murray; director, Richard Donner
1992 A Muppet Christmas Carol
with Michael Caine; director, Brian
Henson
1994 A Flintstones Christmas Carol
(animated)
1997 A Christmas Carol
(animated) with the voice of Tim Curry
1998 An All Dogs Christmas Carol
(animated) Director, Paul Sabella
1999 A Christmas Carol with
Patrick Stewart; director, David Jones.
For a more complete list of both
film and television versions, check out
the WikiPedia page.
"Now, the
tree is decorated with bright merriment, and
song, and dance, and cheerfulness. And they are
welcome. Innocent and welcome be they ever held,
beneath the branches of the Christmas Tree, which
cast no gloomy shadow!"
-Charles Dickens
So writes Charles
Dickens concerning a tradition that even in his
day was precious. Enjoy his story, "The Christmas Tree," as he recollects the joy it brought to
his youth!
"Who
can be insensible to the outpourings of good
feeling, and the honest interchange of
affectionate attachment, which abound at this
season of the year? A Christmas family-party! We
know nothing in nature more delightful! There
seems a magic in the very name of
Christmas."
-Charles Dickens
The family seated
around the Christmas dinner table is a treasured
time that becomes forever etched in our hearts.
Enjoy Dicken's story, "A Christmas Dinner," as he relates the joys it brings.
"Lost
friend, lost child, lost parent, sister, brother,
husband, wife, we will not so discard you! You
shall hold your cherished places in our Christmas
hearts, and by our Christmas fires; and in the
season of immortal hope, and on the birthday of
immortal mercy, we will shut out Nothing!" -Charles Dickens
In his short
story, "What Christmas Is
As We Grow Older,"
Dickens encourages us to not forget the past joys
and loves we have known, in order to shut out the
pain of loss. Rather, we defeat the loss by
celebrating the memories of times and people once
close to us.
"My dear
children, I am very anxious that you should know
something about the History of Jesus Christ. For
everybody ought to know about Him." -Charles
Dickens
Dickens never
forgot the Source of the holiday cheer he spread
about with his writings, or the meaning of the
silent night in Bethlehem so long ago. In this
excerpt from his private story written for his
children, "The Life of Our Lord,"
Dickens explains simply in his own words "The Christmas Story."
Radio
and Film Versions
Information about the 1951 version with
Alastair Sim, with photos, comparisons to the
novel and excerpts from the soundtrack.
Information about the 1939
radio version produced
by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore.
