Reboots of Reboots are Stupid

It was just announced to the public that Benedict Cumberbatch will voice the Grinch in the upcoming animated reboot of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I’ll be upfront about this, I’m not happy about this. I just don’t see the need to reboot this story for a third time.

This idea just scares me. It’s being done by Universal, the same people that did the live-action version of the story back in 2000. The 2000 version, starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch, is one of my most favorite movies ever. I’m afraid that this new animated version is being created to ‘erase’ the live-action version because of it being under Universal. I hope the good people at Universal remember how big of a success their first go at this story was and that they have a very profitable attraction based on this movie at their theme parks during the holidays. Don’t forget your roots, Universal.

I know that the Seuss purists were afraid of even the thought of the Chuck Jones cartoon being adapted into a feature length movie. I also know that there is a large majority of people that despise the live-action adaptation and would like to forget that it exists (I’m looking at you, 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). It really makes me sad that so many people don’t love and appreciate it like I do. I think the movie has its flaws, but in no way do I think it’s a bad movie. I think it’s a wonderful adaptation and I wish more people could enjoy it for what it is. So, in that sense, I don’t think this one needs an update. One I could see getting an update is The Cat in the Hat (which I think is in the works). I think that that live-action adaptation is absolutely terrible and even insulting to the source material. It’s like they tried to take everything that the live-action Grinch did right and completely derail it in a way that’s just upsetting. It was because of that abomination of a movie that Audrey Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss, put a stop to any other live-action adaptions of her husband’s work.

I have nothing against Benedict Cumberbatch. I know very little about him and I’ve never seen any of his work, but I’m sure he’ll do a fine job. I just will never see anyone else as the mean, green one unless it’s Jim Carrey. I’m no Seuss purist and it feels weird for me to be placed in the position they were in in 2000. I don’t dislike the cartoon, I just wouldn’t watch it over the live-action version. That live-action version is canon to me and it holds a special place in my heart. I’m sure I’ll enjoy this movie just fine, but it’s no replacement. All I ask is that they don’t completely discard events and characters that were introduced in the live-action version.