When in doubt, know that someone around you can probably map out the entire story arc of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol from start to finish. It’s just the way of the world. And so whenever someone is trying to bring the story to life yet again, it’s interesting to see how it plays out and what makes it new and fresh. And that’s exactly what the new Spirited film is giving us.
Only Ryan Reynolds can make me not mad a Christmas trailer is coming out before Halloween. Truly. I hate it when someone even tries to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. As an early November Scorpio, let my witchy ways enjoy Halloween in peace. But if my fellow Scorpio Ryan Reynolds wants to talk about his Christmas movie before our sacred Halloween, I will let him.
The teaser for Spirited dropped from Apple TV+ and what I will say is this: I cried? To set the scene, I come from a family where my father watched three different versions of A Christmas Carol each year. It was Scrooged, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and the original. He loved the story so much and I just always knew it from the jump because of his love for it.
So now getting a musical version with Ryan Reynolds (one of my dad’s favorite actors) and Will Ferrell (another fave)? It feels like a Christmas gift from the ghost of my father’s Christmas past. (Sorry, I’m part of the dead dad club so I had to.) This teaser is even letting me get excited for another Benj Pasek and Justin Paul movie (I still am hurt by The Greatest Showman).
The teaser takes us into the life of our Scrooge (so you know, the typical fanfare) and the Christmas in which he is forced to see where his life could be and what he needs to do to change his ways and make himself happy. Here Scrooge is named Clint Briggs and he’s played by Reynolds, with Ferrell as “Present.” Also joining the star-studded cast are Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Aimee Carrero, and Joe Tippett. The teaser has a description that reads as follows: “This isn’t your great great great great great great grandparents’ Christmas Carol (give or take).”
A musical event
Right off the bat, I knew I was going to love this trailer because it had Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell attempting to tap dance. After watching, Spirited seems like a joyous and funny look at a classic in a new and exciting way. Everyone knows the beats of A Christmas Carol and so changing it up and making it fresh is fun! All the other versions still exist and we can go back to them, but having a new musical to watch this Christmas is part of the joy of the holiday.
I love a good Christmas movie and I love when the same stories are told from a different perspective. It will be interesting to see how Spirited fairs in comparison to things like Scrooged, which also brings Scrooge into the modern age (for when it was made) and takes him through all his mistakes. Still, I’m oh so very excited to spend my holiday season with Ryan Reynolds and friends. That’s a true Christmas miracle.
(image: Apple Studios)
