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Johnny Depp Returns as Ebenezer Scrooge in Ti West's Horror Tinged Christmas Carol

The first trailer for Ebenezer debuted at Comic-Con 2026, revealing a darker take on the Dickens classic with Depp in his first major wide release since 2018.

By Jeanpierre Florent · FirstDrop News TeamJul 24, 20263 min read

Johnny Depp appeared in full Scrooge costume at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday to debut the first trailer for Ebenezer, a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol directed by horror filmmaker Ti West. The Paramount Pictures film marks Depp's first major wide release since Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018.

The trailer leans heavily into horror elements, which makes sense given West's background. The filmmaker is best known for gruesome tales like House of the Devil, Pearl, and The Sacrament, and that sensibility shows through in the spectral Ghost of Christmas Past and blood red text that fills the screen.

Paramount teases the movie with a simple tagline: The name you know, the story you don't. Ebenezer hits theaters on November 13, giving it a Thanksgiving 2026 release window.

Photo Credit: Just Jared
Photo Credit: Just Jared

A Speedy Turnaround from Announcement to Release

The project moved remarkably fast. Paramount announced Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol in October 2025, and principal photography kicked off in January 2026 in Dublin and London. Seven months later, the movie is ready to show footage at Comic-Con and promote a November theatrical release.

That quick turnaround suggests a focused production with a clear vision from the start. West and screenwriter Nathaniel Halpern apparently knew exactly what version of the Dickens story they wanted to tell.

Horror Motifs and Nightmare on Elm Street Homage

The trailer includes a direct homage to Depp's very first movie role in Wes Craven's 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. In one of that film's most memorable scenes, Depp's character gets pulled inside his bed by Freddy Krueger's razor claws, and a great torrent of blood spews from the hole. Ebenezer has a milder version where Scrooge sinks into his bed, presumably as part of his journey into the Christmases of the past, present, and future.

The callbacks to horror imagery set this Christmas Carol apart from countless other adaptations. West appears to be approaching the ghost story elements of Dickens' original novel with the same intensity he brings to his horror work.

A Star Studded Cast Assembled

Depp leads a cast packed with recognizable names. Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley, Scrooge's late partner who returns as the first ghostly visitor. Rupert Grint takes on Bob Cratchit, Scrooge's put upon employee.

Andrea Riseborough plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, and Severance breakout Tramell Tillman appears as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Sam Claflin plays Fred, Daisy Ridley appears as Emily Cratchit, and Arthur Conti plays young Ebenezer.

Ellie Bamber rounds out the cast as Isabel Fezziwig, with Henry Lloyd Hughes and Charlie Murphy also appearing in the film.

Familiar Beats with Potential Surprises

The moments shown in the Ebenezer trailer hit pretty familiar beats from Charles Dickens' original novel, which has been adapted many times over the years. Scrooge encounters the ghosts, confronts his past, and presumably learns his lesson about generosity and human connection.

However, it's possible that screenwriter Nathaniel Halpern added surprises to this latest version of the story. The tagline specifically promises the story you don't know, suggesting more than just a straight retelling with horror aesthetics.

Depp's Return to Major Studio Releases

Ebenezer represents a significant moment for Depp's career. The actor's trajectory was already declining in the mid 2010s with a string of box office bombs, from Dark Shadows to Alice Through the Looking Glass. Then a highly publicized series of ugly legal battles between Depp and his ex wife Amber Heard made him largely untouchable for years as far as Hollywood was concerned.

His last major wide release came eight years ago with Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Paramount's decision to center a holiday release around Depp signals a belief that audiences are ready to see him back in a leading role.

The promotional push at Comic-Con, complete with Depp appearing in full Scrooge costume at the Hall H panel, shows the studio is fully committed to making Ebenezer a major event. Whether audiences show up in November will determine if this marks a true comeback or just a one off return.

Written by Jeanpierre Florent, part of the FirstDrop News Team

Jeanpierre is the Southern California based creator behind JPLAND21, a theme park community of more than one million subscribers across YouTube and Instagram. Our reporting is grounded in regular firsthand park visits. More about us

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