Where to Watch All the “Grinch” Movies This Holiday Season
- - Where to Watch All the “Grinch” Movies This Holiday Season
Nikita Eglis, Christopher RudolphDecember 14, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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Mgm Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Universal/courtesy Everett Collection ; Illumination
'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' (1966) ; 'Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000) ; 'The Grinch' (2018) -
The classic Grinch animated TV special aired in 1966, nearly a decade after the book was released
Jim Carrey and Benedict Cumberbatch have played the Christmas cynic
All three versions of the Grinch are available to stream
The holidays mean green Christmas trees and the green "mean one" — the Grinch.
Every December, the Grinch movies are at the top of the list of favorite classic Christmas watches. Inspired by Dr. Seuss’ 1957 book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, all three of the cinematic films bring their own charm to the story.
The first — and shortest — of the three versions was released on the CBS network as a TV special in 1966 titled How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Two more variations followed: The Jim Carrey-led live-action film How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000 and the animated movie The Grinch in 2018.
All of the films follow the Grinch, a bright green cynic, as he sets out on a mission with his dog, Max, to ruin the Christmas season for the citizens of Whoville. Cindy Lou Who, a young Who, believes the Grinch may have some goodness in his heart and helps him learn the true meaning of Christmas.
Taylor Momsen, who starred as Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), told Today in 2020, "I think that people love The Grinch just simply because the core of the story is so sweet and it's so heartwarming and it has such a good message."
Here's everything to know about each film’s take on the iconic narrative and where to watch every Grinch movie this holiday season.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
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'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (1966)
The first and shortest feature to bring Dr. Seuss’ book to life came in 1966 and introduced the infamous song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.
Narrated by Boris Karloff, this version of the Grinch sparked the start of the holiday icon’s popularity.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is available to rent or buy on Google Play, Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home. The film is also streaming on Peacock.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
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'Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000)
The live-action version was created 34 years after the 1966 special was introduced. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Carrey as the Grinch, it has a darker feel compared to the original animation, thanks to the grim setting of the Grinch’s cave on Mt. Crumpit and the eerie prosthetics and makeup applied to Carrey, which took around two and a half hours to complete for each day of filming, per Entertainment Weekly.
Momsen was 7 years old when she portrayed Cindy Lou Who, and was one of the few characters who didn't sport the infamous Who citizen nose in the film. Speaking to Today, she shared, “I was too young to wear the prosthetics, so they wrote a line into the film, 'She hasn’t even grown into her nose yet,' so they just put full blush on my nose.”
This rendition also delves deeper into the Grinch's reasoning for disliking the Christmas season, including his time spent in an orphanage and his negative experiences in elementary school with his fellow Who classmates.
Rent or buy How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Apple TV, Google Play or Fandango at Home. It is also available to stream on Prime Video and Peacock.
The Grinch (2018)
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'The Grinch' (2018)
Despite being the villain of the feature film, the Grinch is tough to dislike in the 2018 title. The bright and friendly animations bring an overall joyful tone to the movie.
Most notably known for Tyler, The Creator’s version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," the song maintains the familiar sound of Ravenscroft’s original tune but adds a fun twist, synonymous with the film's lightheartedness and modern animations.
Cumberbatch and Cameron Seely voice the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, while Kenan Thompson's take on Bricklebaum, an extra cheerful Who, adds a comedic element to the film. Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams and Angela Lansbury also star.
The Grinch is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and Fandango at Home. It can also be streamed on Peacock.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
