The Man Who Invented Christmas - Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens

[Darth Marcus]

Source: Variety

Bleecker Street Nabs Charles Dickens Biopic With Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer
by Brett Lang - 11/7/2016

Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. rights to “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” a look at the creation of “A Christmas Carol.”

The indie label also nabbed distribution rights in certain other select territories, such as Eastern Europe, Benelux, Scandinavia, and Latin America. The film begins production in December and will hit theaters in 2017 just in time for the holidays.

“Downton Abbey’s” Dan Stevens will star as Charles Dickens, with Christopher Plummer playing Scrooge and Jonathan Pryce taking on the role of Dickens’ father. Bharat Nalluri, who previously guided “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,” will slide behind the camera. The film unfolds over six weeks as Dickens labors to complete his Yuletide masterpiece. It finds the author at a low point, still bruised from the commercial failures of several books. With publishers rejecting his latest work, he sets out to cook up a story he hopes will keep his family solvent.

“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is produced by Robert Mickelson and Ian Sharples, with Paula Mazur, Mitchell Kaplan, Andrew Karpen and Vadim Jean executive producing. Parallel Films and Rhombus Media are co-production partners. The script is written by Susan Coyne (“Mozart in the Jungle”).

The acquisition was negotiated by Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy on behalf of Bleecker Street, and CAA on behalf of the producers. Lisa Wilson of The Solution is representing international rights.

[Moviefan2k4]

Sounds like a good story, but they picked the wrong title. Christmas existed long before Charles Dickens.

[Michael24]

This sounds good. I love A Christmas Carol and read it every December.

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

Sounds like a good story, but they picked the wrong title. Christmas existed long before Charles Dickens.

True, but Dickens has largely been credited as one of the biggest influences on the way we celebrate Christmas today. By the start of the Victorian period, the celebration of Christmas was in decline and some historians contend that our modern observance is the result of a mid-Victorian revival that was largely started by the immense popularity of A Christmas Carol in both Britain and America. It influenced many aspects of the contemporary holiday, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, games, dancing and a festive generosity of spirit. So in that regard the title makes sense, hyperbolic as it may be.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

Sounds like a good story, but they picked the wrong title. Christmas existed long before Charles Dickens.

I don't think it's to be taken literal.

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by Michael24

This sounds good. I love A Christmas Carol and read it every December.

My favorite live-action versions (so far) are The Muppet Christmas Carol, and the 1999 TV movie starring Patrick Stewart (still waiting on the Blu-Ray!)

True, but Dickens has largely been credited as one of the biggest influences on the way we celebrate Christmas today. By the start of the Victorian period, the celebration of Christmas was in decline and some historians contend that our modern observance is the result of a mid-Victorian revival that was largely started by the immense popularity of A Christmas Carol in both Britain and America. It influenced many aspects of the contemporary holiday, such as family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, games, dancing and a festive generosity of spirit. So in that regard the title makes sense, hyperbolic as it may be.

I never thought of it that way; its pretty cool. Thanks for the history.

[Michael24]

I finally saw the Patrick Stewart version a couple years ago. It was entertaining but kind of felt like it was just going through the motions. My favorite is the 1984 TV movie with George C. Scott. I think I've watched it every single Christmas Eve since about 1988 or '89. 1951's Scrooge is really good, too.

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by Michael24

I finally saw the Patrick Stewart version a couple years ago. It was entertaining but kind of felt like it was just going through the motions. My favorite is the 1984 TV movie with George C. Scott. I think I've watched it every single Christmas Eve since about 1988 or '89. 1951's Scrooge is really good, too.

I saw the Alistair Sim version as a kid; it scared the daylights out of me.

[nolanator]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx3ctBjG6yI

[MikeScott]

This looks very good.

[Michael24]

More comedic than I was expecting but it looks really good. Can't wait to see it.

[Foggy]

Oh dear. I'll be giving it a miss, I think it's just overloaded with eccentricity and quirkiness.

That said, I was full on expecting Plumber to turn around and tell people to "f**k off" when he was introducing it.

[Darth Marcus]

Looks way more whimsical and way less dramatic than I was expecting, but I'll give it a shot because I like the subject matter.

[Michael24]

Originally Posted by Foggy

That said, I was full on expecting Plumber to turn around and tell people to "f**k off" when he was introducing it.

Me, too!

[stvn1974]

Looks fantastic. I love me some A Christmas Carol, both the novel and the film adaptations.

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

Sounds like a good story, but they picked the wrong title. Christmas existed long before Charles Dickens.

Christmas as we know it today. The twee, commercialised ritualism that the West seems to revel in each year is the Christmas Dickens characterised.

[Troll2fan]

This looks good and I can't wait to see it.

[Falaskan]

I'd like to see it. And no, I didn't take it to mean they were trying to step on the toes of Christian Christmas Tradition. But I'm sure it makes life more interesting to create drama like that.

[imsounoriginal]

I like the two actors, gonna skip the trailer and probably just watch this cold. I like A Christmas Carol, not in a super-crazy way but I definitely don't dislike it either. Plummer is the main draw for me.

[TheLaughingMann]

Dan Stevens has been a real tossup. On the one hand, he's done Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey, and the surprisingly good The Guest from 2014...the only misfire I'd put him in was Night at the Museum 3, but it's not that much of one.

But I will give this a watch.

[ThatOneGuy]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMann

Dan Stevens has been a real tossup. On the one hand, he's done Beauty and the Beast, Downton Abbey, and the surprisingly good The Guest from 2014...the only misfire I'd put him in was Night at the Museum 3, but it's not that much of one.

But I will give this a watch.

He has also done the show Legion and the film Colossal.