Entertainment · November 12, 2026
Ebenezer review – Johnny Depp’s Scrooge tries to exorcise ghosts of business past
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Directed by Ti West and released by Paramount Pictures, 'Ebenezer' is a new film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' starring Johnny Depp as the titular Scrooge. The project represents a significant career milestone for Depp, marking his first major Hollywood role in eight years following highly publicized legal disputes with his former spouse, Amber Heard. While critics generally acknowledge the film's Gothic and horror-inflected atmosphere, reviews of Depp’s performance are polarized, with some praising it as a successful comeback vehicle and others dismissing it as uninspired or irritating.
Read the original coverage
- Associated PressWire
Movie Review: Johnny Depp’s dour 'Ebenezer' is a horror-tinged holiday slog
Read at Associated Press ↗ ‘Ebenezer’ Review: Holiday Humbug
Read at The New York Times ↗- The GuardianMainstream
Ebenezer review – Johnny Depp’s Scrooge tries to exorcise ghosts of business past
Read at The Guardian ↗ - New York PostTabloid
‘Ebenezer’ review: Johnny Depp’s Hollywood comeback after 8 years is far from a holiday classic
Read at New York Post ↗ - DeadlineTrade
‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Blissfully Goes All Scrooge In Ti West’s New Horror-Flavored Take On Dickens Christmas Classic
Read at Deadline ↗ ‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Gets a Creepily Effective Comeback Vehicle in Ti West’s Horror-Tinged Take on Dickens’ Yuletide Classic
Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗- VarietyTrade
‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Scowls His Way Through a Spookily Atmospheric but Redundant ‘Christmas Carol’ Retread
Read at Variety ↗ - IndieWireTrade
‘Ebenezer’ Review: Johnny Depp Is Absolutely Insufferable in a Dull and Dreary Christmas Carol
Read at IndieWire ↗
Reported by multiple outlets
- The film 'Ebenezer' is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.
- It is directed by Ti West.
- Johnny Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge.
- The film is released by Paramount Pictures.
- The movie features a dark, Gothic, or horror-tinged tone.
- The film has a PG-13 rating.
Reported by only some outlets
- The New York Post states it has been eight years since Johnny Depp was in a major Hollywood film.
- The Hollywood Reporter notes the supporting cast includes Ian McKellen, Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Tramell Tillman, and Rupert Grint.
- The New York Times lists the runtime as 1 hour 56 minutes, while the New York Post lists it as 116 minutes.
- The Hollywood Reporter claims this version may be the first adaptation of the story not suitable for young children.
- The Guardian notes the screenplay was written by Nathaniel Halpern.
- Variety mentions the film's marketing taglines include 'Before he was Scrooge he was Ebenezer' and 'The name you know, the story you don’t.'
Confirmed
- Ebenezer is a film directed by Ti West starring Johnny Depp as Scrooge.
- The film is a horror-inflected or Gothic adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
- The film's rating is PG-13.
- Rupert Grint appears in the film alongside Depp.
Reported
- The film's runtime is 116 minutes. (New York Post)
- The film follows the story structure known since elementary school. (The New York Times)
- The film fulfills its goal of restoring Depp to A-list status. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Rumor
- The film serves as a 'rubber stamp' for Depp's Hollywood comeback. (The New York Times)
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