Disney’s new five-picture deal with IMAX will begin with A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey (Liar Liar, The Truman Show, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective). 

The 3D picture will be directed by Robert Zemeckis, (Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, The Polar Express) and will be the first of five films slated to be released between IMAX and Disney. 

A Christmas Carol is based on the classic Dickens' tale about Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) who is a miserable businessman who hates Christmas, but after he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, (also played by Carrey), he redeems himself from his cold-hearted ways and learns the joys of Christmas.

Director Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) and producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean) are rumored to be possible directors for the other upcoming films within the new Imax/Disney partnership.

A Christmas Carol is scheduled for release November 6, 2009, and is one of the studio’s most highly anticipated releases of 2009, according to Walt Disney Pictures.

 —Jessica Delli Santi