Johnny Depp is about to say "Bah, humbug" in a way nobody saw coming. The first full trailer for Ebenezer dropped today, and with it comes a genuine Hollywood milestone: this marks Depp's first studio film in eight years. Directed by Ti West - yes, the guy behind X and Pearl - the movie takes Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and gives it a full supernatural-fantasy-comedy makeover. It hits theaters on November 11, 2026, just in time to kick off the holiday season with a little less eggnog and a little more existential dread.
The trailer introduces Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge, the miser we all know and love to loathe, but this version leans hard into the eerie. There are flickering candlelit corridors, ghostly apparitions that look like they wandered in from a horror set, and just enough dark humor to remind you that West knows exactly how to balance chills with laughs. The whole thing feels less like a cozy fireside tale and more like a haunted house tour led by your least favorite uncle.
An All-Star Cast That's Genuinely Stacked
If the lead name wasn't enough, the supporting cast reads like a Hollywood dream dinner party. Rupert Grint steps in as Bob Cratchit, trading his Harry Potter wand for a clerk's ledger and presumably a lot of long-suffering sighs. Andrea Riseborough takes on the Ghost of Christmas Past, while Tramell Tillman - fresh off his scene-stealing work on Severance - is the Ghost of Christmas Present. And then there's Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley, which is almost too perfect. If anyone can rattle chains and deliver ominous warnings with theatrical flair, it's Gandalf himself.
Rounding things out: Daisy Ridley as Emily Cratchit, Sam Claflin as Fred, and Charlie Murphy in an unspecified role. That's a murderer's row of talent, and it suggests Ebenezer isn't just a Depp comeback vehicle - it's an ensemble piece with real pedigree.
Why This Movie Matters Beyond the Trailer
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Depp hasn't headlined a major studio film since 2018, following a very public and messy legal battle that dominated headlines for years. His recent output has been smaller, quirkier, and largely independent. Ebenezer represents a full-scale return to the Hollywood machine, and the fact that it's a beloved holiday property with a cult-favorite director at the helm makes the stakes even higher.
Ti West is an interesting choice here. He built his reputation on slow-burn horror with a retro aesthetic, so handing him a Christmas Carol adaptation feels like a deliberate curveball. But the genre listing - Fantasy, Comedy - suggests he's not abandoning his roots entirely. Expect atmosphere, expect weirdness, expect a Scrooge who looks like he hasn't slept in a decade.
The Story You Think You Know
For anyone who somehow missed the 1843 novella, the film's official synopsis lays it out: an elderly miser embarks on a supernatural journey after visits from the ghost of his former business partner and the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. They force him to confront his past and fight for a second chance at happiness. It's the classic redemption arc, but with West directing and Depp in the lead, the execution is bound to be anything but traditional.
The November 11 release date slots it comfortably ahead of the crowded Thanksgiving and December window, giving it room to build momentum before the holiday movie avalanche begins. Smart positioning, especially for a film that's aiming to be more tricks than treats.
No runtime has been announced yet, and early ratings data is still empty - which is normal for a film that just released its first trailer. But the buzz is already building. Between Depp's return, West's unconventional eye, and a cast that could carry three movies, Ebenezer has all the ingredients to be one of the season's most talked-about releases.
Whether it becomes a new holiday staple or a fascinating misfire, one thing's clear: this isn't your grandmother's Christmas Carol. Keep an eye on this one - it might just be the ghost of box office past, present, and future all at once.
Source: Variety
