The Grinch director teases sequel idea, with Jim Carrey ready to return if it's 'great'

Move aside Mayor of Whoville, because The Grinch is making his way down from Mount Crumpit again! Universal and Imagine Entertainment are in the 'early stages' of a sequel to the 2000 festive favourite, with Ron Howard set to direct.

And the man behind the green mischief-maker's suit, Jim Carrey, is now in talks to return for the second instalment of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, 26 years later — but has reportedly told writers it would have to be 'great'.

In an update given to People at the Hamptons International Film Festival in October 2026, Ron revealed he had an idea for the plot, but would be keeping his cards close to his chest for now. He also spoke of Jim's struggles with the costume for the first film — with the make-up team sometimes taking up to eight hours to complete the look!

What is the sequel about?

The sequel is being developed as a follow-up to 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, though the plot has not yet been revealed.

Director Ron Howard told People in October 2026: "An idea popped into my head — which I’m not going to tell you, but I got excited about it and I began to think it through. Then I went to Brian (Grazer) first. He got excited about it.

"And Jim believes in it, but his attitude is, correctly, we have to know we are really going to make something that’s great.

The script is being written by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel, who also worked together on The Cat in the Hat adaptation.

The original Grinch film

The 2000 film was based on Dr. Seuss’s 1957 story How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which followed the Grinch as he tried to ruin Christmas for the residents of Whoville. It arrived in cinemas just ahead of Thanksgiving in 2000 and starred Jim Carrey, with Taylor Momsen also among the cast.

It is widely reported that during production of The Grinch, the makeup process took around eight hours a day and was extremely difficult for Jim Carrey. He wanted to quit on day one and return his $20 million fee. He got through it with the help of a man who trained CIA agents to withstand torture, and thanks to the makeup eventually being reduced to three hours a day.

The trainer was Richard Marcinko, a former U.S. Navy SEAL commander. Richard taught him distraction techniques like punching himself in the leg, eating excessively, and smoking with a long cigarette holder. That said, the film earned the best makeup Oscar for Rick Baker and Gail Rowell-Ryan, who transformed Jim for the role.

At the Hamptons International Film Festival in October 2026, Ron Howard told People Magazine: “It was a really hard movie to make, a real struggle. Jim really did struggle with the makeup."

The original story had already been adapted once before, in CBS’s 1966 animated special, with Boris Karloff voicing both the narrator and the Grinch.

There was also a later animated version in 2018 from Illumination and Universal, Dr. Seuss’ the Grinch, which featured Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the title character.

When is The Grinch sequel out?

There is no release date for the sequel yet. The film is currently in development, so Universal has not announced when cameras will roll or when it will reach cinemas.

For now, the project remains in the early stages, with the studio and filmmakers still shaping it.

Where can I watch it?

When the sequel does arrive, it will almost certainly be a Universal release, but no streaming or TV home has been announced. The original 2000 film is available to stream on a number of different platforms, including Prime Video and Sky Store. It usually returns to Netflix during the festive season.

Since its release, The Grinch has become a proper Universal holiday heavyweight, with the 2000 film proving a long-lasting hit on streaming and even outperforming the 2018 animated version in key Christmas viewing windows last year.

Beyond the screen, the character remains a big draw at Universal Studios, where Grinch-themed experiences, merchandise and character meet-and-greets help keep the green grump firmly in the festive spotlight.

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