Universal will release “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” an upcoming movie based on the beloved kids’ tale, on Nov. 17, 2017. Illumination Entertainment, the animation studio with an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal, had already announced it was producing the film, but had not given it a release date.
“Grinch” will be Illumination’s next Seuss tale, coming before the “Cat in the Hat” movie the company has in development. Illumination has already turned Seuss’ the Lorax into a movie, and CEO Chris Meledandri made a “Horton Hears a Who” film while running Fox’s animation division.
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Pete Candeland will direct the “Grinch” film, which will arrive 17 years after Illumination parent company Universal released a live-action version starring Jim Carrey. Michael LeSieur, who wrote the Owen Wilson comedy “You, Me and Dupree” will write the script while Meledandri and Janet Healy will produce it. Seuss’ widow Audrey Geisel will executive produce.
Illumination has a few movies to finish before “Grinch.” The company’s next movie will be “Minions,” a spin-off of his company’s “Despicable Me” franchise that opens in 2015. Illumination will also produce two original movies for 2016, but has not disclosed what those will be. One of them will open Dec. 21, 2016. It will then release “Despicable Me 3,” the sequel to 2013’s most successul animated movie, Friday June 30, 2017.