Charles Dickens‘ classic novel A Christmas Carol‘s star-powered reimagining, Spirited, will be in theaters and premiering on Apple TV+ this holiday season. Now that we’ve officially passed into fall, Apple dropped four dazzling new posters featuring the musical’s leads Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer looking especially cheery.
This modern-day retelling of the Christmas story stars Reynolds as the crotchety Ebeneezer Scrooge, opposite Ferrell as Present, one of his ghostly guides, and Spencer as Scrooge’s co-worker. Aside from the modern spin, Apple TV+’s Spirited is geared up to wow audiences, featuring all-new original song and dance numbers from renowned songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The two Oscar-winning lyricists are responsible for the popular numbers in La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Greatest Showman. Their team of songwriters is bolstered by Vassar graduate Sukari Jones, Khiyon Hursey who got their start on Hamilton‘s crew, and Emmy-nominated Mark Sonnenblick, to ensure the movie will be packed with toe-tapping original tunes.
The brand-new posters provide us a first look at some of the costumes, with Ferrell decked out in period wares, looking dapper alongside Reynolds who’s snuggling up to Present in a very un-Scrooge gesture. Spencer looks merry and bright in a pair of sequined reindeer antlers with lights twinkling in her eyes, and we see Reynolds practicing his dance moves in another. All of the posters appear to be cheerfully candid moments with big smiles, and a distinct behind-the-scenes feel.
For a story that’s been reimagined a handful of times, Spirited was a highly sought-after project between Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Bros. With all-star leads and some serious talent among the crew, this holiday production seems to check off all the boxes of a sparkling seasonal smash-hit. The adaptation is penned and directed by comedy writers Sean Anders and John Morris, known for their screenplays Daddy’s Home starring Ferrell, and Instant Family, meaning it’s safe to assume Spirited is going to be a light-hearted, punchline-riddled rendition of Dicken’s dark novel. Both directors also serve as producers alongside Reynolds through Maximum Effort, Ferrell, David Koplan, and Jessica Elbaum. George Dewey will serve as executive producer. The cast of Spirited is joined by Sunita Mani (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Past, Aimee Carrero (Mack & Rita) as Nora, Joe Tippett, Marlow Barkley, Patrick Page, and Jen Tullock.
Spirited‘s first-look posters come ahead of the musical’s theatrical release on November 11 and Apple TV+ premiere on November 18. Check out the rest of the posters and Reynolds’ interview with Collider’s Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub below, where he discusses filming Spirited and Deadpool 3: