# In 2008, a “dream come true” landed in Jim Carrey’s lap. 18 months later, it had lost $100 million and killed a studio

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-2008-a-dream-come-true-landed-in-jim-carreys-lap-18-months-later-it-had-lost-100-million-and-killed-a-studio/
- Published: 2026-11-13T17:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T18:35:37+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/jim-carrey-played-role-dream-come-true-lost-100-million-killed-studio/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Carrey called Scrooge a dream role.
- *A Christmas Carol* reportedly lost around $100 million.
- ImageMovers Digital closed and laid off 450 staff.

## Summary

Jim Carrey described playing Ebenezer Scrooge in Robert Zemeckis’s 2009 film *A Christmas Carol* as a dream role and a memorable challenge. The film used motion capture, with Carrey also performing the three Christmas ghosts; its commercial failure helped undermine ImageMovers Digital, the studio behind it.

The film took about $325 million at the box office, but with a reported budget of up to $200 million and additional costs, it was estimated to have lost around $100 million. ImageMovers’ next film, *Mars Needs Moms*, lost another nine-figure sum. The studio closed before that film’s release, laying off all 450 staff, less than 18 months after Carrey began filming.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.