Disney Officially Announces New Adaptation of Iconic Story
Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.
Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.
Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.
From Sleeping Beauty to The Little Mermaid to Beauty and the Beast, Disney made itself a household name by adapting iconic stories. Now, that illustrious tradition continues with the latest project from the House of Mouse.
This time, however, the subject of Disney's adaptation isn't a folk tale, but perhaps the most beloved novella of all time. Indeed, it's a story Disney has tackled before - in 1960, 1974 and 1983 - but fear not, this isn't the latest unnecessary live-action remake of an animated classic.
The story in question is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and every fan of Disney can guess the classic character who has been cast in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge...
Uncle Scrooge Stars in Christmas Carol Adaptation
Disney recently released solicit information for the upcoming Uncle Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, a one-shot comic coming from Louise Simonson, Paolo Mottura, Francesco D'Ippolito, Marco Mazzarello and Fabio Celoni, with cover art from Walt Simonson and Laura Martin.
The story will adapt Dickens' classic story of a heartless miser being redeemed on Christmas Eve, with Uncle Scrooge stepping into the shoes of the character who gave him his name. Simonson's cover suggests that Scrooge's beloved nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie will play the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Donald Duck, Ludwig Von Drake, Gyro Gearloose and more will also appear.
The comic will focus on Uncle Scrooge being shown different parts of his life, with the issue's summary reading:
A HOLIDAY ADVENTURE ACROSS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE!
SCROOGE chooses gold over CHRISTMAS and ends up spending the holiday all alone! Three magical adventures force him to revisit the treasures that truly matter! Will Scrooge learn that family is worth more than all the gold in his Money Bin?
Uncle Scrooge has previously starred in 1983's Mickey's Christmas Carol and a 1974 audio-only musical play, with classic comic stories (including, of course, Uncle Scrooge's creation) also inspired by Dickens' classic tale.
Scrooge McDuck Is Shockingly Popular, Just Not in America
Given Scrooge McDuck has appeared in Christmas Carol adaptations before, why are Disney and Marvel pursuing a new version? A fact that might surprise American fans is that Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck are absolutely huge across Europe, with a major fanbase in the Nordics (especially for Don Rosa's classic comics.)
Scrooge McDuck may not be a huge deal in his birthplace, but his comics are reliable bestsellers in multiple countries, where he's known by other names including Dagobert Duck and Paperon de' Paperoni. While Mickey Mouse is Disney's biggest star in the USA, Donald Duck and his extended family are far more popular elsewhere in the world, with Uncle Scrooge having his own all-ages fandom, especially when it comes to comics.
In that context, it's not surprising that Disney would green-light a Christmas Carol adaptation starring the character, combining one of its most popular animated characters with one of the most beloved stories ever written.
Why Is A Christmas Carol So Timeless?
Even outside the Disney of it all, a new Christmas Carol adaptation is always good news, from the surprisingly faithful The Muppet Christmas Carol to Bill Murray's cynical Scrooge and Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds' Spirited pastiche, told from the perspective of the ghosts who visit the iconic miser.
With timeless themes of community, family and social responsibility, Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story has yet to lose its relevance, and there's an endless line of creators waiting to put a comedic spin on the story's enduring message. Disney will once again tackle Dickens' A Christmas Carol in time for Christmas 2026, with Scrooge McDuck learning the error of his money-grubbing ways.
Uncle Scrooge: A Christmas Carol #1 is coming November 18 from Marvel Comics.
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