First Look At Benedict Cumberbatch's The Grinch

05/24/2017 12:39 pm EDT

You would need the strength of ten Grinches, plus two, to keep from looking at you know who!

Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures have finally released the first image/poster for The Grinch, which is the third adaptation of Dr. Seuss' 1957 children's book How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The first adaptation was the 1967 animated TV special, featuring Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, The Mummy) as the voice of the Grinch and the narrator. The second was the 2000 live-action feature film that starred Jim Carrey as the Grinch and was directed by Ron Howard.

The latest take on the classic tale is a feature-length animated film, and it features Benedict Cumberbatch -- who you know best as the BBC's Sherlock Holmes or Marvel's Doctor Strange -- voicing the green, grumpy, cave-dwelling Grinch. It is being co-directed by Peter Candeland and Yarrow Cheney, based on a script by Michael LeSieur.

Back in April 2016, Illumination Entertainment CEO Chris Meledandri explained what will set their take apart from the previous two. "I think that the essence of this film is the notion of this cynicism comedically expressed in the Grinch and this absolute innocence represented in Cindy Lou, on a collision course with one another through the course of this movie," he told Deadline. "It's the simple question of whether or not innocence can transform cynicism. The beauty of that simplicity for me is what's at the heart of the movie. In the experience of the movie I love the sort of wicked comedic aspect of this character the Grinch and I think that what you'll see is from the very, very early animation tests, very raw, you'll see that there's an undeniable appeal in the character in spite of that kind of, sort of wicked persona, and I find that very, very, appealing and attractive."

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1967) - [The film] tells the story of how the Grinch, a bitter, cave-dwelling creature, attempts to sabotage Christmas for all the merry and warm-hearted denizens of Whoville. As all the Whos in Whoville prepare to celebrate Christmas, the Grinch schemes to halt all noisy holiday celebrations by stealing Christmas trees and presents, presuming this will sadden all the Whos in Whoville. However, when Christmas morning finally arrives, all the Whos in Whoville are glad and sing in spite of not having a tree, presents or holiday feast. This leads the Grinch to think of something he hadn't before, that perhaps "Christmas doesn't come from a store -- maybe Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more!"

(via movieweb)

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas will open November 9, 2018.

Photo Credit: Twitter / @CharlieClift

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