If you’ve seen one adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol than you have roughly nine million to go. The book that helped shape the way we celebrate the holiday has also led to countless live-action versions. From traditional takes and animated films, to modern day retellings, Muppets, and even a story about the story, there’s no shortage of ways to appreciate the legendary ghost tale about the true meaning of Christmas. And this year we’re getting yet another way to remember that lesson. Only this adaptation is flipping the story upside down. It’s also adding singing and dancing to the festivities. The first trailer for Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell, promises a jolly good time through time itself.
You don’t really need to promote a movie that stars these two. But we’re still glad to have a Spirited trailer that’s this good. We’re also glad Octavia Spencer is along for the fun. But what exactly is going on here? This is clearly not a classic retelling; this is a new spin on the iconic story. The film’s official logline explains why this is an inverted take on the tale. From Apple TV+:
Each Christmas Eve, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) selects one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But this season, he picked the wrong Scrooge. Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) turns the tables on his ghostly host until Present finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future. For the first time, “A Christmas Carol” is told from the perspective of the ghosts in this hilarious musical twist on the classic Dickens tale.
Sean Anders (Daddy’s Home, Instant Family) directs with a script he wrote with John Morris. The movie also features original songs from Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land), as well as choreography from Chloe Arnold (The Late Late Show with James Corden).
Spirited comes to Apple TV+ on November 18, 2022. And despite all the other versions of A Christmas Carol we have, we can’t wait to add another to our list of yearly watches. The Spirited trailer has us excited. (Which is why it’s a good thing this comes out in November. It takes a loooong time to watch all of them.)