Johnny Depp Returns to Hollywood as Ebenezer Scrooge
After years away from the Hollywood spotlight, Johnny Depp is stepping back into a leading role this time as Ebenezer Scrooge in Ti West’s dark, re-imagined adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The film, titled Ebenezer, will present a grittier take on Charles Dickens’ classic morality tale, mixing gothic atmosphere with psychological depth. According to Entertainment Weekly, the project is being positioned as both a comeback and a creative risk, marking Depp’s first major U.S. studio feature since his long and very public legal battles.
Tai West & Johnny Depp
Director Ti West, best known for the X, Pearl, and MaXXXine horror trilogy, has promised a “hauntingly human” version of Scrooge,more psychological thriller than holiday fantasy. Depp reportedly pushed for the role himself, seeing it as a chance to redefine his image and prove his dramatic range after years of tabloid scrutiny. The film will begin production in early 2025, with A24 co-financing and a late-2026 theatrical release planned.
Tai West with Mia Goth
Industry insiders are calling the move “Depp’s redemption play,” comparing it to Robert Downey Jr.’s 2008 Iron Man resurgence. While some critics remain skeptical about the public’s willingness to embrace the actor again, early concept art and West’s involvement have generated buzz across social media. Fans are hopeful that the collaboration could merge Depp’s trademark eccentricity with West’s stylish genre sensibility, potentially positioning Ebenezer as one of the most talked-about releases of 2026.
Robert Englund Signed Nightmare on Elm Street
In a poetic twist, Depp’s return to the big screen also marks a return to his horror roots. His very first film role was in Wes Craven’s 1984 slasher classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, where he played Glen, the doomed boyfriend famously swallowed by a blood-soaked bed. Forty years later, stepping into Ebenezer under the direction of horror auteur Ti West feels like a full-circle moment: a nod to where his career began, and perhaps, where his most powerful reinvention will take shape.
