The Grinch(2018 Movie)

The Grinch is the titular protagonist of Illumination's 9th full-length feature film, The Grinch, based on the 1957 children’s book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by the late Dr. Seuss.

A grouchy and reclusive green creature, the Grinch despises Christmas and schemes to steal and ruin the holiday due to the pain and loneliness it has caused him.

He is voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, who brings a unique charm and depth to the character.

Names	Ethan T. Grinch, Mr. Grinch, Grinchy
Gender	Male
Race	Grinch, Whovillian
Occupation	Inventor, Santa, Thief
Origin	The Grinch (November 9, 2018)
Alignment	Mixed
Age	Over 53
Created By	Michael LeSieur, Tommy Swerdlow, Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney

Appearance

The Grinch in Illumination's The Grinch (2018) has a distinctive appearance that sets him apart from other versions of the character:

• Color and Texture: He is covered in green fur, which is slightly darker than the classic Grinch, with a somewhat rough and patchy texture. His fur is bushier around his neck and hands, giving him a scruffy, unkempt look.
• Face: The Grinch's face is long and angular with sharp features. His eyes are small and yellow with vertical pupils, conveying his cynical and sneaky personality. His eyebrows are thin, and his mouth often curls into a mischievous smirk or a frown, adding to his grumpy demeanor.
• Body: He has a thin, wiry frame with long limbs, which give him an almost gangly appearance. His overall posture is hunched and awkward, contributing to his grumpy nature.
• Hands and Feet: His fingers are long and slender, with a slightly clawed appearance, which adds to his sinister look. His feet are similarly large and shaped to give him an unsettling stance.
• Attire: While the Grinch is mostly seen in his natural state, he does wear a Santa Claus costume when he plans to steal Christmas, which includes a traditional red suit with white trim and a black belt. He also dons a large, fluffy red hat to complete his disguise.
• Age Indicators: Unlike other versions of the Grinch, this version seems to show signs of aging, particularly with the subtle graying of his fur, which he attempts to hide by dyeing it.

Overall, Illumination's Grinch is a more stylized, slightly exaggerated version of the character, with a focus on giving him an even more disheveled, loner aesthetic while maintaining some of his iconic traits from Dr. Seuss's original design.

Personality

The Grinch is a grouchy and cruel individual who delights in bullying and antagonizing the citizens of Whoville whenever possible. He takes a twisted sense of pride in his mean-spirited antics, seeing his nastiness as an art form with a touch of style.

Despite his harsh exterior, the Grinch has a hidden soft side, which he occasionally shows to his loyal dog, Max, and to rare individuals who manage to connect with him. Unlike the 2000 live-action adaptation, where his bitterness stems from childhood bullying, this version of the Grinch's hatred for Christmas and reclusive nature is rooted in the loneliness he experienced as an orphan, making his dislike for the holiday more deeply personal.

Biography

As a child, the Grinch grew up in an orphanage in Whoville. Unlike the other Whos, he had no family to celebrate Christmas with and was never adopted. Watching the Whos enjoy the festive season while he remained alone caused him deep sadness and emotional pain. Unable to bear the loneliness, he decided to leave Whoville and retreat to the isolation of Mount Crumpit, where he lived for the next 53 years, questioning the meaning of Christmas.

In Whoville, the Whos are eagerly preparing for Christmas with joyous festivities, but the Grinch, a cantankerous green recluse with a heart "two sizes too small," is unimpressed. Living in a cave atop Mount Crumpit, his only companion is his loyal dog, Max. The Grinch visits Whoville only when necessary, such as to buy food, and takes pleasure in antagonizing the Whos.

Meanwhile, a kind-hearted 5-year-old girl named Cindy Lou Who notices her mother, Donna, is overwhelmed by work while caring for her and her twin infant brothers, Buster and Bean. Hoping to lighten her mother's load, Cindy decides to send a letter to Santa. However, after a sarcastic encounter with the Grinch, she resolves to trap Santa and ask for his help in person.

The Grinch, annoyed by the Whos' festive spirit and the unveiling of a massive Christmas tree, tries to destroy it using a catapulted snowball. The plan backfires, leaving the Grinch humiliated and reminded of his lonely childhood at the orphanage. This reflection reignites his bitterness, and he hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos, believing it will alleviate his pain.

The Grinch recruits a large reindeer named Fred to help pull the sleigh he steals from the cheerful Bricklebaum, the happiest Who in Whoville. However, after a test run, he discovers Fred has a family and reluctantly lets him go. With no other choice, Max steps in to pull the sleigh.

On Christmas Eve, the Grinch, disguised as Santa Claus, uses various gadgets to steal all the decorations and presents from Whoville. During his heist, he encounters Cindy Lou, who has set a trap for Santa. Instead of asking for gifts, she requests help for her overworked mother and advises him to listen to the Whos' singing to ease his sadness. Her sincerity touches the Grinch, but he continues with his plan.

The next morning, the Whos discover their Christmas has been stolen. Cindy blames herself, believing her trap angered Santa, but her mother reassures her that Christmas is more than just presents. The Whos come together and sing "Welcome Christmas," celebrating the true spirit of the holiday.

Hearing their song from Mount Crumpit, the Grinch is puzzled to see the Whos joyful despite their losses. Remembering Cindy's words, he has an epiphany about the true meaning of Christmas. Overwhelmed with joy, his heart grows three sizes. When the sleigh begins sliding off the mountain, the Grinch finds the strength to save it, with help from Fred and his family.

The Grinch returns to Whoville with the stolen gifts and decorations, admitting his wrongdoing and sincerely apologizing. Touched by his transformation, Cindy invites him to her home for Christmas dinner. The Grinch, initially awkward, is welcomed warmly by Cindy's family.

At dinner, the Grinch confesses his bitterness stemmed not from Christmas itself, but from years of loneliness and neglect. He thanks Cindy for her kindness, which changed his life. In a touching moment, he raises a toast to "kindness and love, the things we need most." The Grinch finally finds a sense of belonging as he celebrates Christmas with the Whos.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: At least 10-B, likely higher physically. Higher with equipment

Powers and Abilities: Stealth Mastery, Magnetism Manipulation, Can fire nets and other traps, Flight, and Weapon Mastery (of/with the Candy Cane), Vehicular Mastery, limited Resistance to Cold Temperatures.

Attack Potency: At least Human level, likely higher physically (The Grinch doesn't seem to have any superhuman strength and relies more on technology. Though this is the case, he seems somewhat stronger than the average Who to an unknown extent) Higher with equipment (The tech created by the Grinch is shown ensnaring trees, carrying heavy objects, and other feats the Grinch can't do physically)

Speed: Athletic Human physically, likely much higher, possibly Superhuman with equipment (Equipment include ladder-like boots, an advanced sleigh, etc)

Lifting Strength: At least Athletic Human (Easily threw a night table as well as Christmas trees), likely Class 5 (Should be comparable, if not superior to Max, who could pull a fully loaded sleigh)

Striking Strength: At least Human level, likely higher

Durability: At least Athlete level to Street level (Virtually unharmed by being launched from Mt. Crumpit into a large wooden ornament in Whoville and being launched back)

Stamina: High

Range: Standard Melee Range normally, much higher with equipment

Standard Equipment: High tech candy canes (Grable Hook, snares, helicopter-like flight, magnet, etc), advanced sleigh, ladder-like boots, Christmas Santa sacks, etc.

Intelligence: At least Gifted, likely Genius.

Weaknesses: Memories of his past can put him in a slightly panicked state

Trivia

• The Grinch is Illumination's second protagonist to originate as a villain, following Felonious Gru from the Despicable Me franchise.
• This portrayal of the Grinch is significantly less evil and malicious compared to earlier versions. Rather than being driven by pure hatred for the Whos and Christmas, he is depicted as a grouchy cynic dealing with unresolved emotional trauma. He prefers solitude and only engages with others when necessary. Unlike previous iterations, he treats his dog Max well and shows a willingness to interact socially when required.
• This version of the Grinch appears to dye his fur to conceal gray hairs, although he denies it.
• Benedict Cumberbatch, who voices the Grinch, stated that he interprets his version of the character to be in his fifties.
• Initially, producers wanted Cumberbatch to use his natural British accent for the role. However, he decided to voice the Grinch with an American accent to match the rest of the cast.