How the Grinch Stole Christmas Sequel in the Works with Jim Carrey and Ron Howard

Jim Carrey is in talks to star in a sequel to How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Ron Howard returning to direct, according to The Hollywood Reporter,

The deal isn’t done quite yet, but the film is in active development with a script being penned by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer, and David Mandel. All three writers worked on Curb Your Enthusiasm as well as the live-action adaptation of The Cat in the Hat back in 2003. Berg also served as co-showrunner on HBO’s Barry, starring Bill Hader. Needless to say, it’s a talented group of writers with a sharp comedic edge. Plot details are still being kept under wraps by the Christmas tree, but it wouldn’t be surprising if we hear more about it by next spring.

Jim Carrey will star in Sonic the Hedgehog 4, which is set to release in March 2027, and he will almost certainly be asked about his Grinch return while promoting the film. In 2024, ComicBook.com asked Carrey which roles he’d like to return to, and he noted that he wanted to play the Grinch again.

“Oh, gosh, you know, if we could figure out the Grinch,” Carrey said. “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. Anything is possible in this world.”

Jim Carrey’s makeup process for the Grinch in the original film was pretty extreme, as it took two and a half hours every day, and Carrey compared the process to being buried alive. The actor previously claimed that the costume was itchy (partially because it was made from yak hair) and he had trouble breathing through the prosthetic nose. Carrey also wore colored contacts, which restricted his vision.

Carrey suffered panic attacks on set due to his costume, prompting the production to hire a NAVY Seal consultant to train Carrey to endure torture. While there have been evolutions in makeup techniques since How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Carrey also seems interested in exploring other techniques like motion capture. Whether the film ultimately goes that route remains to be seen, but it seems like the Grinch will return within the next few years.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.