A grumpy Grinch plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.
For their eighth fully animated feature, Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss' beloved holiday classic. The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl's generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming, and visually stunning, it's a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Whoville when he runs out of food. Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger, brighter, and louder celebrations. When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year, the Grinch realizes there is only one way for him to gain some peace and quiet: he must steal Christmas. To do so, he decides to pose as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, even going so far as to trap a lackadaisical misfit reindeer to pull his sleigh. Meanwhile, down in Whoville, Cindy-Lou Who (Cameron Seely), a young girl overflowing with holiday cheer, plots with her gang of friends to trap Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas Eve rounds so that she can thank him for help for her overworked single mother. As Christmas approaches, however, her good-natured scheme threatens to collide with the Grinch's more nefarious one. Will Cindy-Lou achieve her goal of finally meeting Santa Claus? Will the Grinch succeed in silencing the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all?—Universal Pictures
In the town of Whoville, human-like creatures called Whos are filled with excitement about celebrating Christmas. The only one who isn't amused is a cantankerous, green furred creature called The Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch), who has a heart "two sizes too small" and lives in a cave on the top of Mount Crumpit just north of Whoville. The Grinch's only friend is his loyal pet dog Max and they both only visit Whoville when the Grinch needs to buy food and do bad things. Meanwhile, six-year-old Cindy-Lou Who (Cameron Seely) notices that her mother Donna (Rashida Jones) is overworked trying to take care of her and her twin infant brothers, Buster and Bean. She at first decides to send a letter to Santa Claus to help her mother but after encountering the Grinch, who sarcastically says that she'll have to talk to Santa face-to-face about it, she eventually decides to try and trap Santa with the help of her friends.
It's a few days to Christmas and the small town of Whoville could not be more excited about the event. The townsfolk celebrate the occasion like nobody else. However, in a mountain cave high above the town lives someone who absolutely hates Christmas - The Grinch. This time he intends to ruin it for everybody.—grantss
In the town of Whoville, the cheerful and festive Whos eagerly prepare to celebrate Christmas. However, the Grinch, a grumpy, green-furred recluse with a heart "two sizes too small," despises the holiday. Living alone in a mountain cave with his loyal dog, Max, the Grinch only ventures into Whoville for necessities or to pester the Whos.
Meanwhile, 6-year-old Cindy Lou Who becomes concerned about her overworked mother, Donna, who is struggling to care for Cindy and her twin baby brothers, Buster and Bean. Determined to help, Cindy initially writes a letter to Santa Claus asking for assistance. During a chance encounter with the Grinch, he sarcastically suggests she take her request directly to Santa if it's so urgent. Inspired, Cindy decides to travel to the North Pole, but when Donna explains that such a journey would take a month, she instead devises a plan to trap Santa with the help of her friends.
As Christmas approaches, the Grinch tries to disrupt a tree-lighting ceremony but ends up overwhelmed by memories of his lonely childhood in an orphanage. These painful flashbacks fuel his growing resentment toward Christmas, leading him to devise a plan to steal the holiday from Whoville. With Max's help, the Grinch recruits a rotund reindeer, whom he names Fred, and borrows a sleigh from his neighbor Bricklebaum. However, after a trial run, the Grinch discovers Fred has a family and, moved by this, decides to let him go.
On Christmas Eve, the Grinch dons a Santa Claus disguise, crafts various gadgets, and uses Max to pull the sleigh in Fred's absence. Together, they descend into Whoville, stealing every present and decoration. During his escapade, the Grinch is caught in Cindy Lou's trap. She shares her wish for Santa to help her mother and advises the Grinch to listen to the Whos' singing to ease his sadness. Touched but unable to abandon his plan, the Grinch continues his mission, driven by his lingering loneliness.
After stealing all the Christmas items, the Grinch retreats to Mount Crumpit, ready to dispose of them. Meanwhile, the Whos wake to find their presents and decorations gone. Though initially disheartened, Donna reassures Cindy Lou that Christmas is about love and togetherness, not material things. The Whos begin singing "Welcome Christmas," a heartfelt act that confuses the Grinch. Watching them celebrate despite his efforts, and recalling Cindy Lou's words, the Grinch's heart grows three sizes.
Just then, the sleigh teeters on the edge of Mount Crumpit. Determined to save it, the Grinch succeeds with unexpected help from Fred and his family. He returns to Whoville with Max, bringing back the stolen items. Filled with regret, the Grinch admits his wrongdoing and sincerely apologizes.
Later, Cindy Lou invites the Grinch to celebrate Christmas with her family. Though initially hesitant, he joins them for dinner. Surrounded by warmth and friendship, the Grinch realizes it wasn't Christmas he hated, but the loneliness and neglect he had endured. Finally embracing the spirit of the holiday, the Grinch toasts with the Whos, finding joy in their company and the true meaning of Christmas.
