Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have unveiled a new The Grinch movie poster for the upcoming animated film, ahead of the movie’s trailer debut on Thursday. This new adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic hails from the studio that brought us Despicable Me and The Lorax, but its director credits are where things get weird. The Secret Life of Pets co-director Yarrow Cheney is at the helm, which makes sense given that he’s been with Illumination for a while now, but the other director on the project is Scott Mosier, who is best known as the longtime producing partner of filmmaker Kevin Smith. Yes indeed, the producer behind Clerks, Chasing Amy, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is co-directing a Grinch movie for Illumination. That’s a WTF bit of news, but is welcome all the same as Illumination has had a habit of simply corralling the same few directors around on most of its projects thus far.

Perhaps this new blood will breed something genuinely fresh with The Grinch, which has Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead voice role. The rest of the voice cast has yet to be announced, but I imagine we’ll get some clarity when the first trailer debuts tomorrow.

Illumination got off to an impressive start with the Despicable Me franchise, but films like Pets and Sing proved they can make hits without those silly little minions, and while The Lorax was a huge letdown, I’m actually pretty curious to see what they’ve come up with for The Grinch. Especially with Mosier involved.

Check out the new The Grinch poster below. The film opens in theaters on November 9th.

the-grinch-poster

Here’s the official synopsis for The Grinch:

For their eighth fully animated feature, Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved holiday classic.  The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit.  Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism.

 

Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company.  With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Who-ville when he runs out of food.

 

Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger, brighter and louder celebrations.  When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year, the Grinch realizes there is only one way for him to gain some peace and quiet: he must steal Christmas.  To do so, he decides he will pose as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, even going so far as to trap a lackadaisical misfit reindeer to pull his sleigh.

 

Meanwhile, down in Who-ville, Cindy-Lou Who—a young girl overflowing with holiday cheer—plots with her gang of friends to trap Santa Claus as he makes his Christmas Eve rounds so that she can thank him for help for her overworked single mother.  As Christmas approaches, however, her good-natured scheme threatens to collide with the Grinch’s more nefarious one.  Will Cindy-Lou achieve her goal of finally meeting Santa Claus?  Will the Grinch succeed in silencing the Whos’ holiday cheer once and for all?