Since it was released over 30 years ago,The Muppet Christmas Carolhas become a staple Christmas movie for many to watch during the holiday season.Starring Michael Caineas the human lead character, the Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scrooge,The Muppet Christmas Carollooselyretells the story of Charles Dickens’ classic 1843 novellawith various Muppet characters, making for a strange setup considering the original text was much darker. However, the Christmas movie is widely regarded as one of thebestA Christmas Carolmovie adaptationsdue to being an easily accessible musical, scoring an 86% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes.
There have been many modern versions of theA Christmas Carolstory, from 2022’sSpirited(starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell) to Jim Carrey’s motion capturedA Christmas Carol, yet none of them are quite like themuppet movie. Still, Michael Caine’s festive favoritehas aged somewhat, and while there are no current plans to remake the movie,it is worth wondering what a newThe Muppet Christmas Carolwould like, and, more importantly, who would play Scrooge. Interestingly, we already have the perfect actor to star in a remake of this holiday classic for a number of reasons.
Brett Goldstein Could Be Michael Caine’s Muppet Heir
Goldstein Has The Skills To Be Scrooge
Brett Goldstein could be Michael Caine’s heir inThe Muppet Christmas Carolremake because he has the skills to pull it off.Brett Goldstein is most notably known for playing Roy Kent inTed Lasso, a role which has gained him much praise due to the show’s comedic nature. Apple TV+’sTed Lassohas received critical acclaim, with its first season nominated for 20 Primetime Emmy Awards.Goldstein, who is also a writer forTed Lasso, has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Seriesfor his role in the show, demonstrating his talents.
Lawrence was impressed by Goldstein’s abilities, saying “It annoys me that he’s so good.”
Recently, Goldstein has starred inShrinking, a series he co-created alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segel. In an interview withScreen Rant,Bill Lawrence spoke about Goldstein’s appearance inShrinkingseason 2, stating that “Jason and Brett really lobbied” for him to appear and that Lawrence was impressed by Goldstein’s abilities, saying “It annoys me that he’s so good.” Evidently,Brett Goldstein has a long list of comedy work and can deliver dramatic and deadpan lines, with many singing his praises. Therefore, he would be a great fit as Scrooge, as Michael Caine’s character was also full of deadpan delivery.
Brett Goldstein Has The Same Commitment That Made Michael Caine So Good With Muppets
Michael Caine Took The Muppets Seriously
Starring alongside The Muppets is a difficult task, providing a few unusual challenges in navigating the physical world of puppetry and its strange comedy. However, as seen with his previous roles, Brett Goldstein would be capable of delivering the same thing that made Michael Caine so good with The Muppets: a serious on-screen personality. In a 2015 interview withThe Guardian,The Muppet Christmas Carol’sdirector, Brian Henson, talked about Michael Caine’s approach to the movie, claiming thatCaine felt it important for him to treat Scrooge’s role seriously and “never do anything Muppety.”Check out the full statement below:
When I met Michael Caine to talk about playing Scrooge, one of the first things he said was: “I’m going to play this movie like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role and there are no puppets around me.” I said: “Yes, bang on!”
Although it will be hard to beat one of thebest Christmas movies of all time,Brett Goldstein demonstrated great camaraderie with The Muppets in season 53 ofSesame Street. In one particular clip, Goldstein sits with Oscar the Grouch inside a trash can, in a hilarious reference to aTed Lassoseason 1scene referring to him as “brunette Oscar the Grouch.” In other Muppet interactions, like challenging Oscar while playing hide and seek with Elmo, Brett Goldstein displays a calm yet sometimes serious demeanor, showing that he has the potential to match the energy of Michael Caine’s Scrooge.
Brett Goldstein Deserves A Muppets Guest Spot
Goldstein Has A Genuine Passion For The Muppets
Brett Goldstein has stated a clear love for The Muppets as he has previously stated that he was unsure he’d get to play Roy Kent “because I’m soft-spoken, and I love The Muppets,” andafter filming forSesame Street, Goldstein described the experience as “the best day of my life.”Considering Goldstein has the right skill set and an ever-growing popularity – especially withTed Lasso’sseason 4 possibly going ahead – he would make a brilliant Scrooge inA Christmas Carolremake, and Brett Goldstein’s genuine passion for The Muppets is evident inThe Muppet Christmas Carol’s30th Anniversary interview:
There are plenty of potentialmovies for The Muppets to remake, soit looks unlikely that Disney will revisitThe Muppet Christmas Carol. However, should the opportunity ever arise, there is no doubt that Brett Goldstein would perform well, as his deadpan deliveries would be spot on for Scrooge, and many would love to see his take on the serious Dickensian personality. Furthermore, his love of The Muppets would make him a more considerate choice for the character, as Goldstein clearly respects the original movie due to his involvement in the 30th-anniversary interview forThe Muppet Christmas Carol.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Cast
The Muppet Christmas Carol adapts the classic Charles Dickens novel with Michael Caine starring as Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who’s visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve and learns to embrace the holidays.
