Johnny Depp Stuns Comic-Con as Ebenezer Scrooge in First Look at Ti West’s Dark Christmas Carol

Johnny Depp Steals Comic-Con as Ebenezer Scrooge in First Look at Ti West’s ‘Ebenezer’

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 had its share of big moments, but nothing quite prepared fans for the sight of Johnny Depp walking onto the stage in full Ebenezer Scrooge regalia. The surprise appearance Thursday sent the crowd into a frenzy as Depp unveiled the first trailer for Ebenezer, Ti West’s darkly ambitious reimagining of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Depp, who plays the iconic miser turned redeemed soul, didn’t just show up — he showed up in character, fully costumed as the Victorian-era penny-pincher, complete with nightgown and candle. It was a theatrical move befitting the film’s November release and a reminder that even after decades in the spotlight, Depp still knows how to command a room.

The Film: A Christmas Carol Like You’ve Never Seen It

Ebenezer isn’t your grandfather’s Christmas Carol. Directed by Ti West — the horror auteur behind the acclaimed X trilogy (X, Pearl, MaXXXine) — this adaptation leans into the ghost story elements of Dickens’ original novel. The result is a Christmas fantasy film that promises to be both visually stunning and emotionally resonant, with West’s signature atmospheric tension woven throughout.

The screenplay comes from Nathaniel Halpern, and the cast is absolutely stacked. Alongside Depp as Scrooge, the film features:

• Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit — a long way from Hogwarts for the former Harry Potter star
• Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past
• Tramell Tillman (Severance) as the Ghost of Christmas Present
• Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley — Scrooge’s ghostly former partner
• Daisy Ridley as Emily Cratchit — a reunion of sorts with Star Wars fans
• Sam Claflin as Fred, Scrooge’s nephew
• Arthur Conti as Young Ebenezer
• Ellie Bamber as Isabel Fezziwig
• Charlie Murphy and Henry Lloyd-Hughes in supporting roles

That’s an ensemble that spans generations — from Harry Potter to Star Wars, from Severance to the X trilogy. It’s the kind of casting that makes you wonder how they fit everyone’s schedules.

Why This Version Matters

Let’s be honest — there have been more adaptations of A Christmas Carol than there are ghosts in Scrooge’s nightmare tour. The Muppets did it. Bill Murray did it. Michael Caine did it with Muppets. So what makes this one worth getting excited about?

Three things. First, Ti West. The man knows how to build dread and atmosphere like few working directors today. His House of the Devil remains one of the best slow-burn horror films of the 2000s, and his X trilogy redefined what slasher cinema could be in the 2020s. Taking on a Christmas ghost story is a natural evolution — Dickens’ novel was always meant to be a bit scary.

Second, Johnny Depp. Love him or hate him, Depp has always been a compelling screen presence. Seeing him sink his teeth into Scrooge — a role that demands both cold-hearted miser and vulnerable, redeemed man — is exactly the kind of challenging material he thrives on.

Third, the trailer (which premiered alongside his Comic-Con appearance) reportedly leans hard into the supernatural. This isn’t a warm, fuzzy Christmas special. This is a ghost story about a man confronting his own mortality and the damage he’s done. Expect foggy London streets, creaking doors, and spirits that actually feel otherworldly.

Release Date and What Comes Next

Ebenezer is scheduled to hit theaters on November 13, 2026, courtesy of Paramount Pictures. That puts it squarely in the holiday movie season, where it will compete with the usual Christmas lineup. But with Ti West’s track record and a cast this deep, it’s shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

Principal photography took place in Dublin and London earlier this year, with production companies Wattsco and IN.2 Film backing the project. The film is a UK-US co-production, and the period setting of Victorian London has been recreated with meticulous attention to detail.

The Comic-Con Factor

Comic-Con 2026 has been packed with major announcements — from Avatar: Seven Havens getting its premiere date to the ongoing buzz around the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. But Depp’s surprise appearance was arguably the most talked-about moment of the convention’s first day.

Walking on stage unannounced in full costume is the kind of stunt that feels both spontaneous and carefully orchestrated — and it worked. Social media lit up almost immediately, with clips of Depp’s entrance circulating across every major platform. For a film that’s still four months out from release, it generated exactly the kind of buzz the marketing team was hoping for.

A Christmas Carol for a New Generation

What makes this adaptation particularly interesting is the creative team behind it. Ti West has spent the last decade building a reputation as one of the most interesting genre filmmakers working today. His ability to blend genuine scares with character-driven storytelling — evident in everything from The House of the Devil to Pearl — suggests that Ebenezer won’t just be another holiday movie. It will be a meditation on regret, redemption, and the ghosts we carry with us, wrapped in a Victorian ghost story that happens to be set at Christmas.

The casting of Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley is especially inspired. McKellen’s gravitas brings weight to the role of Scrooge’s deceased business partner, whose seven-year penance is one of the novel’s most haunting images. Combine that with Andrea Riseborough’s ethereal presence as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Tramell Tillman’s commanding turn as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and you’ve got a supernatural trio that could carry the film on their own — before you even get to Depp’s Scrooge.

What to Watch While You Wait

If you’re counting down the days until Ebenezer hits theaters, there’s plenty of Dickensian goodness to tide you over. The site has coverage of various A Christmas Carol adaptations over the years, including the 2019 BBC series and the beloved animated versions. For more Depp, check out his movie Jack and Ava. And if you want to see Daisy Ridley in action, our Star Wars page has you covered — because honestly, is there ever a bad time to revisit the galaxy far, far away?

For those who prefer their Christmas stories with a darker edge, the animated Scrooge: A Christmas Carol offers a different take on the redemption arc. And if you’re just here for Ti West’s brand of tension, well — November can’t come soon enough.

Ebenezer opens in theaters everywhere on November 13, 2026. Stay tuned for the full trailer and more details as the release date approaches.