Despite its 19th century publication, Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” pervades as a popular holiday tale adapted dozens of times for cinema. So what makes the next iteration of this story unique from the rest?
The answer is comedians Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, who are co-starring in the musical “Spirited” — the latest adaptation of the canonical piece of literature. Reynolds will be playing Clint Briggs, a younger, funnier version of the old, crotchety Ebenezer Scrooge, while Ferrell will be portraying the ghost of Christmas Present. However, Clint turns the tables and reexamines the ghost’s 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.
Produced by Maximum Effort and Gloria Sanchez Productions, the upcoming Apple TV+ original feature is a holiday-oriented musical comedy co-written by Sean Anders and John Morris. Ferrell and Reynolds are already fairly comfortable around a microphone, as their fans on TikTok know from a viral 2021 video where the comedians did their own take on the Grace Kelly song trend.
Other cast members in the musical ensemble include Octavia Spencer, Patrick Page, Sunita Mani, Loren Woods, Joe Tippett, Marlow Barkley and Jen Tullock. Though the soundtrack was composed by various artists, the film will also feature new songs from artists like Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
“Spirited” is set to premiere in theaters on Nov. 11 and globally on Apple TV+ on Nov. 18. Watch the trailer below.
From Variety US