One of the most important Christmas films worth watching centers around a bitter main character who regains his faith in the holiday spirit, and what better way to spend the festive season than to watch it unfold in Christmas Carol iterations?
Here are 9 Christmas Carol movies and where to watch them online!
A Christmas Carol (2009)
Imagine Ebenezer Scrooge in a motion-capture animated adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story; that's what Disney's A Christmas Carol is all about, except it's rated PG for the mature themes and the equally horrifying portrayals of the three ghosts, Past, Present, and Future, on Christmas Eve.
Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Disney+
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
Scrooge McDuck plays the miserable Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas. Guess who gets to play the three ghosts and visit him on Christmas Eve? Jiminy Cricket, Willie the Giant, and Pete, all of whom were guided by his deceased partner Jacob Marley (Goofy) and Mickey Mouse as his clerk, Bob Cratchit.
Streaming Platforms: Disney+
Spirited (2022)
Spirited portrayed a playful twist to the Dickens story: what if the Christmas ghost gets the tables turned on him? This modern comic retelling might just be the change of pace you're looking for amongst the sea of Christmas Carol stories.
All the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) wanted was to redeem someone in time for the holidays, but what happens when Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) makes the Ghost re-examine his own life?
Streaming Platforms: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
A Christmas Carol (1984)
The 1984 version is led by George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge, and if you're looking for a faithful adaptation from Dickens' text, the horrific yet heartwarming redemption in Scott's iteration might be right up your alley.
Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Peacock, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video
A Christmas Carol (1999)
This time, Patrick Stewart is the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who gets visited by the Christmas ghosts, Past, Present, and Future, to show him his cruel life, how he impacted the people surrounding him, and his bleak future, all of which would lead him to a path of redemption to turn him into a kind, generous man to change his destiny.
Streaming Platforms: Hulu
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
Instead of focusing on Charles Dickens' story itself, The Man Who Invented Christmas essentially brings the author's perspective to life, as viewers get to witness his struggle to write A Christmas Carol in 1843, before he ultimately redefined how the world should celebrate Christmas.
Streaming Platforms: HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (2022)
Yet another animated retelling of Dickens' story is Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge still hates Christmas, but this movie is told through modern animation (think Sofia the First and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir) and catchy songs with a more energetic take on the classic story.
Streaming Platforms: Netflix
Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray stars in Scrooged, the dark comedy retelling of Dickens' text. This time, instead of having the spotlight on the ever-miserable Scrooge, Murray is a cynical, ruthless TV executive named Frank Cross, who gets visited by the three ghosts of Christmas Eve after firing one of his workers during the holidays.
Streaming Platforms: MGM+, AMC+, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Muppet Christmas Carol stars Michael Caine playing Scrooge as he gets visited by three spirits (aka the Muppets) who show him his lonely past, miserable present (with Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit), and the terrifying future that would help him embrace the Christmas spirit.
Streaming Platforms: Disney+
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