The first trailer for Spirited, the Christmas holiday musical comedy starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds coming to Apple TV Plus, released on Wednesday and offers a glimpse at the film’s irreverent take on Charles Dickens’ classic novella A Christmas Carol.
Reynolds plays Clint Briggs, a modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell). When Briggs’ resistance to change inspires Present to re-evaluate his own past, present, and future, he finds himself unexpectedly smitten with Briggs’ coworker (Octavia Spencer) and asks for Briggs’ help in wooing her.
There have been dozens of different interpretations of A Christmas Carol, including the 1908 silent film starring Thomas Ricketts, 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol, and innumerable Christmas-themed episodes of Doctor Who. Spirited doesn’t exactly look like it’s cracking the mold, but it does look like a serviceable enough spin on the original story to warrant a viewing.
Spirited premieres on Apple TV Plus on Nov. 11.