Johnny Depp’s Next Chapter: A Christmas Classic and the Stakes of His Hollywood Return

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Johnny Depp at the Red Sea International Film Festival, December 2025. Photo: Segolene Liger / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.

Johnny Depp Returns as Scrooge: Can Ebenezer Turn Curiosity Into a Lasting Comeback?

By Cherlie Joseph | Reading time: 2 minutes

Johnny Depp’s appearance at the London premiere of Ebenezer on November 9 brought renewed attention to his acting career. Opening in theaters on November 13, the film casts him as Charles Dickens’ famously bitter miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, under the direction of Ti West. Its ensemble includes British actors Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Ian McKellen.

The immediate attraction is clear: an actor known for elaborate transformations is taking on one of literature’s most recognizable characters. The larger question is whether this performance can sustain interest beyond the excitement surrounding his return to a major Hollywood studio production.

A familiar character with something to prove

Scrooge offers Depp an opportunity that also presents a challenge. Audiences already know the character’s journey through fear, regret and redemption. Costumes and makeup can establish the appearance, but the performance must make that emotional transformation convincing.

Speaking to Extra at the premiere, Depp acknowledged his admiration for Alastair Sim’s portrayal in the 1951 film Scrooge. He explained that his approach was to find a different way into the character rather than surpass that interpretation. He also expressed gratitude toward the fans who had supported him.

That distinction matters artistically. Another adaptation of Dickens must give viewers a reason to revisit a story they may already have watched many times.

The film needs its own identity

West’s version places the supernatural encounters at the center of its official presentation: a Christmas Eve journey through Scrooge’s past, present and future. The director and cast have an opportunity to explore the darkness of the story without losing its human concerns—loneliness, inequality and the consequences of indifference.

Our assessment is that the film’s strongest possible argument for Depp’s return will be the work itself. Public affection can generate attention, but lasting momentum requires a performance that connects with audiences and a production that stands on its own.

There is also a limit to the comeback narrative. Scrooge’s fictional redemption should not become a shortcut for interpreting an actor’s personal history. A character and the performer playing him remain separate subjects.

For Depp, Ebenezer represents a significant opportunity. Whether it becomes a lasting turning point will depend on what audiences find beyond the premiere photographs: a compelling Scrooge, a memorable film and a reason to follow his next role.

Sources: Extra; official Ebenezer film website.