The ghost who was once Ebenezer Scrooge is seeking retirement
In short: In this modern retelling of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present isn't just a spirit—he’s a former human. Having already achieved redemption as the original Scrooge, he now faces a crisis of purpose while attempting to reform an unredeemable media consultant.
The 2022 film Spirited reimagines Charles Dickens's classic by introducing a bureaucratic afterlife where spirits lead a team to redeem one human soul every Christmas. Will Ferrell portrays the Ghost of Christmas Present, who stays at work despite having qualified to retire for many years. He is secretly motivated by a desire for a second chance at life on Earth to make up for his own past failures. The narrative centers on Clint Briggs, a callous media consultant whom the spirit team deems "unredeemable." While Jacob Marley insists Clint is a lost cause, Present argues that reforming him could create a ripple effect of positive change.
The film reveals a significant twist: Present was actually the original Ebenezer Scrooge. He successfully completed the redemption program in his previous life, making him the only other "unredeemable" soul to ever do so.
The mechanics of redemption are shown through a year-long research process and an unconventional haunt. To break through Clint's defenses, Present transports them into his own memories, including his difficult childhood and his relationship with a woman named Nora. The film explores the friction between following the "script" of tradition and taking personal risks to achieve genuine transformation. The production was a major undertaking for Apple TV+, involving a bidding war and a talent budget that rose from $60 million to $75 million. While critics offered mixed reviews—with some finding it overstuffed or too long—the film received praise for the chemistry between Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, who both earned $20 million for their roles.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Spirited (film)
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