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After entering production over a decade ago, the latest animated adaptation of The Canterville Ghost is set to hit the big screen this Halloween. Based on Oscar Wilde's short story of the same title, the movie follows the titular ghost as he recruits a brave young girl, Virginia Otis, to free him from an eternal curse. Promising comedy and kid-friendly spookiness in equal measure, The Canterville Ghost looks to be a great Halloween watch for people of all ages. Keep reading to find out everything we know so far about The Canterville Ghost.
When and Where Can You Watch 'The Canterville Ghost'?
Following its release in the United Kingdom and Ireland on September 22, 2023, The Canterville Ghost will be released theatrically across the United States on October 31, 2023 - right in time for a Halloween family movie night. Regarding when and where The Canterville Ghost will be available to stream, it was recently reported that the movie is set for a "strategic rollout across multiple platforms". The Canterville Ghost's United States distributors - Blue Fox Entertainment and Shout! Studios - leads us to speculate that the movie will likely be available on Prime Video or Apple TV+ when the time comes, joining a vast collection of Blue Fox movies on these platforms.
What Is 'The Canterville Ghost' About?
Set to hit screens this fall, The Canterville Ghost is an animated comedy perfect for those wanting to indulge in the upcoming spooky season without the scares. The movie centers on the quirky ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville, cursed to roam his sprawling castle for centuries. To free himself from his endless boredom, Canterville must find a courageous human willing to perform a brave deed. Cue Virginia Otis, a curious and unshakable American who moves into the castle with her family. When Canterville fails to scare the Otises away, he's pleased to realize that Virginia could be the key to his long-awaited freedom. Together, the unlikely pair must outwit The Ghost Catcher and The Reverend to bring peace to the household once and for all.
Watch the Trailer for 'The Canterville Ghost'
Signature Entertainment released a trailer for The Canterville Ghost on their official YouTube channel in August 2023. Among the hilarious collection of scenes, it's revealed that every previous owner of the Canterville castle was scared away by the titular ghost. However, the new owners Mr. and Mrs. Otis aren't phased by this news and vow that they're "here to stay" - to the disappointment of their teenage daughter Virginia, who admittedly hates her strange new home. This all changes when Virginia discovers the spirit of Sir Canterville is never far away, and comes to learn that her new adventure might be more fun than she first expected. Spooky, chaotic, and fun, it seems The Canterville Ghost might just cement itself as one of the best family-friendly Halloween movies of 2023.
What Is the Background of 'The Canterville Ghost'?
The Canterville Ghost is adapted for the screen from the legendary poet and playwright Oscar Wilde's children's short story of the same title. First published in the British literary magazine The Court and Society Review in 1887, The Canterville Ghost has since been adapted into movie, television, and radio format several times. The first of these movies was a Hollywood blockbuster in 1944, starring Charles Laughton in the title role. Following this came a Soviet animated movie in 1970, a Bollywood movie in 2008, and a French-Belgian movie in 2016. 2023's The Canterville Ghost began production over a decade ago, with a first look revealed in 2014 and an initial 2016 release date planned. The movie was subject to unprecedented delays, but fans will finally see it join an impressive legacy this fall.
Who's In the Cast of The Canterville Ghost?
The Canterville Ghost features an all-star cast of actors from across the pond including Stephen Fry (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) as Sir Simon de Canterville, Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel) as The Duke of Cheshire, Hugh Laurie (House M.D.) as The Grim Reaper, Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as The Reverend Chasuble, Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter) as housekeeper Mrs. Umney, and Miranda Hart (Spy) as The Ghost Catcher. Starring as the Otis family are Meera Syal (Yesterday) and David Harewood (Supergirl) as Lucretia and Hiram, alongside Emily Carey (House of the Dragon) as their daughter Virginia. Also in the cast is Jules de Jongh (Johnny English Strikes Again) as twins Louis and Kent Otis, Keiron Self (My Family) as Lord Monroe, Georgia Small (A Christmas Number One) as Marjorie Fairfax, and Elizabeth Sankey (Lucky Fred) as Eleanor de Canterville.
Who Made 'The Canterville Ghost'?
As well as starring as Lord Monroe, Keiron Self wrote The Canterville Ghost alongside Giles New (Pirates of the Caribbean). The movie is directed by Kim Burdon (Fireman Sam) and Robert Chandler (The Deep). Executive producers include Bob Benton (The Call Up), Paul Cummins (Tutenstein), Paul Grindey (The Father), Jerry Hibbert (Heavy Metal), P. Jayakumar (Wolverine and the X-Men), Nadia Khamlichi (Mandy), Nessa McGill (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande), Charles Moore (The Eagle), Edward Noeltner (Numb), Hilary Strong (Murder on the Orient Express), and Stephen Fry, who also stars as Sir Simon de Canterville. Music by Craig Stuart Garfinkle (The Muppet Christmas Carol), and Eimear Noone (Two by Two: Overboard!).
More Movies Like 'The Canterville Ghost' That You Can Watch Right Now
'The Addams Family' (2019)
An animated version of the well-known classic, The Addams Family features a star-studded voice cast including Oscar Isaac, Chloe Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Snoop Dogg, and Bette Midler. The movie begins with the midnight wedding of Gomez (Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron), interrupted by angry villagers set on driving the macabre pair out of town. Soon, the Addams' happen upon their perfect new home: an isolated and abandoned asylum. There, they meet escaped patient Lurch (Conrad Vernon) who joins the quirky and chaotic family as their brand-new butler.
'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman), the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, has grown bored with leading the same old Halloween celebrations year in, year out. Thus, he begins to wander in the woods and stumbles through a doorway to Christmas Town, where he learns more about the festive season. Shortly after returning home and sharing the news of the mysterious holiday, Jack decides that the people of Halloween Town should take over Christmas and improve it with their own spooky spin. A cult classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas turns 30 this year, celebrating with the launch of an "ultimate collector's edition" 4K UHD Blu-ray.
'Hocus Pocus' (1993)
Beginning October 31, 1693, three witches wreak havoc in the town of Salem, Massachusetts when they kidnap a young girl, Emily (Amanda Shepherd), and curse her brother, Thackery Binx (Sean Murray), to eternal life as an immortal cat. Three hundred years later, on Halloween night, Max (Omri Katz) and his sister Dani (Thora Birch), along with their friend Allison (Vinessa Shaw) sneak into the witches' former cottage, now abandoned museum. After snooping around, the youngsters accidentally resurrect the witches, unleashing them upon Salem once more.