Dr. Seuss' holiday classic tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has seen various adaptations over the years. From the original 1996 animated special to the 2000 live-action movie starring Jim Carrey to Illumination's 2018 CG-animated film — all three versions have their rightful place in the holiday season. But the rise of different streaming services and confusing licensing rights have made finding them a bit of a hassle. Below you can find a full breakdown of where to watch each version — How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Dr. Seuss' The Grinch — in 2022.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the original animated TV special from 1966, is streaming on Peacock. However, it's only available on Peacock's Premium plan, which starts at $4.99. There's also the Premium Plus plan which removes ads for $9.99 per month.
Other options include renting or buying the digital Ultimate Edition version on Amazon's Prime Video or YouTube.
Dr. Seuss’ timeless classic comes to life in a shiny all-new Ultimate Edition of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, now with 2 newly remastered Grinch Specials: The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat and Halloween is Grinch Night! With Who-ville brimming with joyful anticipation of Christmas, high above in the chilly mountains, the Grinch shares no such warmth for the holiday. Why this green meanie has hatched a plan to do away with Christmas once and for all! Packed with extras and featuring animation by the legendary Chuck Jones, bring home this heartfelt reason for the Yul-tide season.
Peacock is also home to another version — Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical, a theatrical production of the classic children's book starring Matthew Morrison, Denis O'Hare, and Booboo Stewart.
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the live-action version starring Jim Carrey as the Green Meanie. If you want to watch this version of the story, you're going to have to head over to HBO Max or Hulu. Like any other streaming service, there are various subscription options — both with and without ads — as well as holiday discounts. It's worth noting that if you do go through Hulu, you're going to need the HBO Max add-on through it anyways.
Jim Carrey brings Dr. Suess' holiday-hating heel to gloriously sinister life in this effects-filled adaptation of the classic story.
Unlike last year, it doesn't appear that Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas will air on Freeform as part of the network's "25 Days of Christmas" schedule.
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch is the most recent adaptation of the story, debuting in 2018. Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange) provides the voice of the character in Illumination Entertainment's CG-animated take on the classic, with Pharrell Williams as the Narrator, Cameron Seely as Cindy Lou Who, Rashida Jones as Donna Who, and Kenan Thompson as Mr. Bricklebaum.
Once available on Netflix, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch was removed from the streaming service in 2020 and made its network premiere on Freeform, where it's been ever since. Dr. Seuss' The Grinch will be featured as part of Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas" where you'll have multiple opportunities to watch. Here's the slated schedule for the film:
- Friday, December 2 at 9:30p/8:30c
- Saturday, December 3 at 7:15p/6:15c
- Saturday, December 17 at 6:55p/5:55c
- Sunday, December 18 at 4:45p/3:45c
- Thursday, December 22 at 9p/8c
- Friday, December 23 at 5p/4c
Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss' beloved 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 spirit. Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, The Grinch is fun for the whole family!
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch is also airing on FX, which you can watch using a free trial to any of the following services: FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV. It's also on Hulu, but you'll need the premium ad-free version. You can also buy or rent it on Prime Video, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, and Google Play.