Johnny Depp Eyes a Comeback in an Iconic Christmas Movie

Johnny Depp could soon be returning to major Hollywood movies. Reports say he’s close to signing on to play Ebenezer Scrooge in Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, a new take on Charles Dickens’ famous holiday story.

The film is being developed by Paramount Pictures and directed by Ti West, who’s known for his horror hits Pearl and Maxxxine. The script comes from Nathaniel Halpern, the writer behind Tales From the Loop and Legion. Actress Andrea Riseborough, who starred in To Leslie, is expected to join the cast. Emma Watts will produce the movie, with Stephen Deuters and Jason Forman serving as executive producers.

If Depp officially signs on, the studio is eyeing a release date of November 13, 2026 according to NPN. He’s set to play Scrooge, the cold-hearted businessman who gets a life-changing visit from three Christmas spirits.

Interestingly, another version of A Christmas Carol is also in the works. Director Robert Eggers, who recently made Nosferatu, is developing his own adaptation for Warner Bros., and Willem Dafoe may take on the role of Scrooge in that one.

This new project could be Depp’s biggest Hollywood comeback in years. His last major studio role was in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

He was later dropped from that franchise after losing a libel case against The Sun, which had published allegations from his ex-wife, Amber Heard. In a later U.S. trial, both Depp and Heard were found to have defamed each other.

If this deal goes through, it would mark a major moment in Depp’s career, return to big-budget studio films after years away from the Hollywood spotlight. It’s a fitting comeback, too, with him playing a character who gets a second chance at redemption.

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