Scrooged  Scrooged is a 1988 American Christmas comedy film directed by Richard Donner and written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue. Based on the 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, "Scrooged" is a modern retelling that follows Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish television executive, who is visited by a succession of ghosts on Christmas Eve intent on helping him regain his Christmas spirit. The film also stars Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Michael J. Pollard and Alfre Woodard. "Scrooged" was filmed on a $32 million budget over three months in Hollywood. Murray returned to acting for the film after taking a 4-year hiatus following the success of "Ghostbusters", which he found overwhelming. Murray worked with Glazer and O'Donoghue on reworking the script before agreeing to join the project. The production was tumultuous, as Murray and Donner had different visions for the film. Murray described his time on the film as "misery", while Donner called Murray "superbly creative but occasionally difficult". Along with Murray's three brothers, Brian, John, and Joel, "Scrooged" features numerous celebrity cameos. The film's marketing capitalized on Murray's "Ghostbusters" role, referencing his encounters with ghosts in both films. "Scrooged" was released on November 23, 1988 and grossed over $100 million worldwide. The film received a positive response from test audiences but was met with a mixed response on its release, by critics who found the film too mean spirited, or too sentimental. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, but lost to "Beetlejuice". In the years since its release, "Scrooged" has become a regular television Christmastime feature, with some critics calling it an alternative to traditional Christmas films, and others arguing that "Scrooged" was ahead of its time, making it relevant in the modern day. It has appeared on various lists of the best Christmas films. IBC Television president Frank Cross is pushing his company to broadcast an extravagant live production of "A Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve, making the staff work throughout the holiday. Frank fires executive Eliot Loudermilk for disagreeing with him, and sends cheap IBC-monogrammed towels to all on his Christmas list, including his personal assistant Grace and his brother James.