The Grinch is a 2018 American computer-animated Christmas fantasy comedy film produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures. Based on the 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss, it is the third screen adaptation of the story, following the 1966 television special starring Boris Karloff and the 2000 live-action feature-length film starring Jim Carrey. It marks Illumination's second Dr. Seuss film adaptation, following The Lorax (2012). The film was directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, with a screenplay written by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow. The film stars the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and narration by Pharrell Williams. The plot follows the Grinch and his pet dog Max as they plan to stop Whoville's Christmas celebration by stealing all the town's decorations and gifts.