Jim Carrey Returning for Grinch Sequel After 26 Years

The Hollywood Reporter says a sequel to How the Grinch Stole Christmas is officially in the works, with Jim Carrey in talks to reprise the title role. Ron Howard is set to direct and produce, and the screenplay is by Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel. Universal and Imagine Entertainment are backing the untitled holiday project, which has no release date or production window.

The original 2000 film was not a critics' darling but became a box-office success and has endured as a cult classic version of the Dr. Seuss story. Carrey has teased retirement in recent years and has limited his on-screen work to the Dr. Robotnik role in the live-action Sonic films; a fourth Sonic installment finished production in May.

If he signs on, the Grinch sequel could mark a new era for the actor. Making the Grinch previously involved extreme physical demands: Carrey nearly quit mid-production, at one point lying down between setups and considering returning his $20 million paycheck.

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