Grinch Fans Debate Which Movie Version Is the Best Version

By Michael Hein

The Grinch has become an essential part of modern Christmas celebrations, but fans have vastly different opinions on the character's authoritative portrayal. The iconic Dr. Seuss character has now been adapted to the screen three different times, and each of those movies is the Grinch movie in somebody's eyes. This year, the debate over the best Grinch made some serious waves on social media.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss was published in 1957 by Random House. The original children's book was adapted faithfully in the 1966 animated TV special starring Boris Karloff as the Grinch. For decades, that was the main way revellers were introduced to the Grinch, until Ron Howard set out to make a live-action movie in 2000. Jim Carrey stars as The Grinch in that millennial favorite, and for some he is the most authentic Grinch of them all.

However, the youngest generation has thrown a new wrench into the debate thanks to the 2018 computer-animated film The Grinch, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role. This one is typically most popular among very young viewers, but it had its fanatics in this month's debates online.

There is plenty of other Grinch media to consider, including the Grinch musical, video games and more obscure productions. Setting those aside, it seems like most viewers still fall back on nostalgia for their Grinch preferences. Here is a look at the arguments they had online for Christmas 2022.

Classic

Of course, it's no surprise that the oldest version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas seemed to have the most defenders.

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Split the Difference

Of course, these debates were all in good fun and many people happily admitted that they like the different Grinch movies for different reasons.

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Open-Minded

Along the same lines, many commenters noted that they tried to watch new Christmas movies with an open mind, especially when visiting with younger family members.

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2000

More fans are standing by the 2000 Grinch movie each year, proving that nostalgia plays a big part in Christmas movie preferences.

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Putting Up With It

Some tweeted morosely from family gatherings this month about being forced to watch a newer version of a familiar story.

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Other Cast Members

Some fans lauded the 2000 Grinch movie because it allowed other cast members to shine – notably Christine Branski.

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Deserved

Finally, fans gave props to the 2000 Grinch for its staying power, especially as a remake. They felt that the movie had to be great to measure up to the original, as it was already so beloved.

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