Bah humbug! Luke Evans stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in new Netflix animation

Welsh star Luke Evans will play Ebenezer Scrooge in Netflix’s animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which hits the screens in December.

Evans who hails from Aberbargoed, a small village in the Rhymney Valley, will be joined by Oscar winner Olivia Colman, who plays the Ghost of Christmas Past and Jessie Buckley, who plays Isabel Fezziwig.

The animated adaptation was unveiled by the streaming giant at the Annecy International Film Festival.

This will be the 11^th film adaptation of Dicken’s novella, which was first published in December 1843.

Johnny Flynn (Stardust) and Sir Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) round out the support cast in the latest retelling of the story, as Bob Cratchit and Jacob Marley, respectively.

The new musical adaptation of the Christmas classic will be directed by Stephen Donnelly, who previously directed 2016’s Monster High: Welcome to Monster High and directed the television series Lost in Oz.

“It’s been a fascinating challenge to adapt such a beloved and often-told story,” Donnelly said. “I think this version will give those who know A Christmas Carol all the things they expect, but not as they’ve experienced them before.

“There are more than enough psychedelic, time-travelling and musical surprises to keep those familiar with the story on the edge of their seats, while the authentic essence of Dickens has been retained for those coming completely fresh to the classic tale.”

James Bond

Evans, meanwhile, remains among the favourites with bookies William Hill to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond.

Commenting on the links last year he said he would “jump at the chance” to play OO7.

Also in the running are Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Sam Heughan, Tom Hiddleston and Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page.

Bond producer Barbara Broccoli told Deadline last month that the next Bond film was still at least two years away from going into production and refused to confirm who was in the running to replace the super spy.

“Nobody’s in the running,” she said. “We’re working out where to go with [Bond], we’re talking that through. There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond. We’re reinventing who he is and that takes time.”