For their eighth fully animated feature, Illumination and Universal Pictures present The
Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved holiday classic. The Grinch tells the story of a cynical
grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a
young girl’s generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, it’s a
universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism.
Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch,
who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for
company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs,
the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Who-ville when he runs out of food.
Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger,
brighter and louder celebrations. When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas
three times bigger this year, the Grinch realizes there is only one way for him to gain some
peace and quiet: he must steal Christmas. To do so, he decides he will pose as Santa Claus
on Christmas Eve, even going so far as to trap a lackadaisical misfit reindeer to pull his
sleigh.
Meanwhile, down in Who-ville, Cindy-Lou Who-a young girl overflowing with holiday cheerplots
with her gang of friends to trap Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas Eve rounds so
that she can thank him for help for her overworked single mother. As Christmas
approaches, however, her good-natured scheming threatens to collide with the Grinch’s
more nefarious one. Will Cindy-Lou achieve her goal of finally meeting Santa Claus? Will
the Grinch succeed in silencing the Whos’ holiday cheer once and for all? [Pressetext]