Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Comeback Comes With a Smaller Salary and a Big Box Office Test

There was a time when Johnny Depp was one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, thanks in large part to the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise. In recent years, though, he has been largely absent from the American film industry, with his biggest credit before now being the 2023 French drama ‘Jeanne du Barry’.

That is what makes ‘Ebenezer‘ such a talking point. The Paramount-backed film is a dark reimagining of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ directed by Ti West, the filmmaker behind ‘X’ and ‘Pearl’, with Depp playing Ebenezer Scrooge. Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Tramell Tillman and Ian McKellen round out the cast, and the film reaches theaters on November 13.

The Johnny Depp comeback is also shaping up as a financial story, and the numbers are telling. According to reports, Depp accepted a substantially reduced upfront salary of roughly $5 million in exchange for a large share of revenue if the movie succeeds. The film itself is a relatively small one, with Puck describing it as a retread of a story done many times before on a budget of about $40 million.

That structure puts Depp’s own money on the line. If audiences turn up, the back-end deal could pay off handsomely, and if they do not, he walks away with far less than a star of his stature once commanded. The exact percentage and how it is calculated have not been made public.

The film is also the first Hollywood studio movie Depp has made since his highly publicized 2022 trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, during which both accused the other of domestic abuse and defamation. That is why the project is being treated as a bellwether for his public appeal, with uncertainty still hanging over his commercial viability.

Paramount has leaned into the comeback story. The studio began its campaign in April, when it brought Depp onstage at CinemaCon, the convention for theater owners, and Depp called the role “an extraordinary privilege”, as Variety reported. Theater owners responded with huge applause, and Variety has described exhibitors as optimistic about the film’s chances.

The marketing push has been aggressive too. Paramount reportedly spent heavily on marketing and distribution, with a social-media-forward rollout designed to steer attention away from past controversies, according to USA Today. The trailer’s “think again” tagline sparked debate, with some fans embracing the comeback and others calling the story too familiar.

Think you know his story? Think again. Johnny Depp is Ebenezer Scrooge. The spirits arrive in the official new trailer for EBENEZER – only in theatres November 13. https://t.co/cb6p9JBq9C

— Ebenezer (@ebenezermovie) October 1, 2026

Early signs point to real curiosity. The first trailer attracted more than 6 million views on Paramount’s main YouTube account in its first 18 hours, and Depp turned up at San Diego Comic-Con in full Scrooge costume. Box Office Theory projects an opening of between $17 and $24 million domestically.

Test screenings have also been encouraging. Puck reported that women over 35, a group some might expect to be most put off by his personal behavior, rated the movie most favorably, with Depp’s scores in that demographic hitting 90 percent. Paramount and Depp’s representative declined to comment on those numbers.

Depp walked the red carpet at the global premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on November 9, after an earlier screening at the Whitby Hotel in New York City on November 1. Early reactions have been largely positive, praising his performance and the gothic, horror-tinged tone Ti West brings to the story.

Not everyone is convinced the film earns its place alongside earlier versions, though. Some critics found it forgettable or said nothing about it feels distinct, and others argued it works more as a way to put Depp back in the mainstream than as a unique film experience. The common thread is that the star is carrying the conversation.

Whether the smaller paycheck turns into a big payday will not be clear until the box office results arrive in the coming weeks. If ‘Ebenezer’ works, it could vindicate the modest risk Paramount took and signal that Hollywood is ready to work with Depp again.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!