We've been openly skeptical in the past about Robert Zemeckis's A Christmas Carol, which stars Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge and — through the so-called miracle of motion capture — as three of the ghosts who visit Scrooge on Christmas Eve. ("Anyone who goes to see this movie deserves what he gets," we wrote when the project was announced.) But we may be forced to reconsider, now that /Film reports that among the multiple roles being played by Carrey's co-star Gary Oldman is … Tiny Tim.

You read that correctly. Tiny Tim will be played by 50-year-old Gary Oldman, the man who so memorably asked, "It ain't white boy day, is it?" fifteen years ago. Apparently, to maintain eye lines on set, Oldman does all his acting in a trench. The very idea of a teensy-weensy Gary Oldman hobbling around on a crutch saying adorable things immediately makes A Christmas Carol a must-see when it's released in November 2009, and suggests that one day all annoying child actors will be replaced by hammy British thespians in trenches. We welcome the new era with open arms.

Gary Oldman Confirms Roles in Robert Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol [/Film]