Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer’ Opens to a Chilly Preview Night as His Big-Screen Comeback Hangs on Word of Mouth

Johnny Depp’s ‘Ebenezer‘ reached theaters on November 13 carrying one big question: can a gothic spin on Charles Dickens’ holiday classic make its star a box office draw again? Paramount’s film is being framed as a comeback, since it marks his first major studio role since 2018. The director is Ti West, known for his horror work.

The studio pitched the project with the tagline “The name you know, the story you don’t.” Depp helped launch the first trailer at San Diego Comic-Con, where he showed up on stage dressed as Scrooge. Around him is a stacked ensemble: Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Sam Claflin as Fred and Daisy Ridley as Clara, plus Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley.

And so it begins! The once canceled movie star #JohnnyDepp hopes for a triumphant return as lead of a major Hollywood studio’ flick at US #BoxOffice with Christmas film #EBENEZER, but the PG-13 fantasy comedy grossed 1.5M on THU Previews (vs #RedOne’s 3.7M, which included 1M SUN early screenings, #TheLostCity’s 2.5M) Mr. Depp will have to rely on his star power and pray for audiences WOM out of FRI Opening Day to be more positive than critics’ mixed reviews, in order to boost walk ups over the weekend, otherwise a 17M-22M 3-day opening weekend could be in the cards, risking coming under Industry’s already conservative 20M-25M projections.

— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) November 13, 2026

Opening night suggests the comeback may take longer than hoped. The PG-13 fantasy comedy grossed $1.5M at Thursday previews. That trails the $3.7M posted by ‘Red One’, which included $1M from Sunday early screenings, and the $2.5M posted by ‘The Lost City’.

The early numbers put pressure on weekend expectations. A 3-day opening of $17M to $22M is now possible, which would land under the industry’s already conservative projections of $20M to $25M. Depp will need audiences to respond more warmly than critics have, since walk-up business over the weekend will decide where the film finishes.

Pre-release tracking had already been modest. Box Office Pro’s forecast was an opening of $20M to $25M from more than 3,500 North American locations, with around $40M globally. TheWrap projected a domestic opening near $20M with a similar overseas launch, and said the hope is that word of mouth keeps the film in theaters into December.

The reviews are mixed. But Why Tho was among the warmest, calling it a truly remarkable adaptation that works as both a supernatural thriller and a dark comedy. The same review praised Depp’s deadpan humor and comic timing. Early reactions largely praised Depp’s lively performance and the film’s dark gothic atmosphere, though not everyone was convinced the story offers anything new.

Others were cooler. One critic called the film fine but forgettable, and another found it boring if you have seen a Christmas Carol before. JoBlo’s JimmyO called Depp’s work a layered performance, so the split is more about the film than about its star.

The pressure on the film has been building for months. Variety reported a $5M salary for Depp, and cinema operators suggested the box office would say less about his appeal than about the movie’s quality.

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

West has said he wanted to make Scrooge a different kind of character for audiences. In an interview with Den of Geek, he described wanting to make the story “a more subjective journey,” putting viewers inside Scrooge’s perspective. The director also said he hoped audiences might even giggle at Scrooge and see where he is coming from.

That approach explains why the film sits between family holiday fare and horror. One outlet noted that this position makes its box office difficult to predict. The competition is not helping, with ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ heading into its second weekend after a record-setting $30.6M opening for a foreign-language live-action film. ‘The Cat in the Hat’ is also in theaters.

The weekend will do more than set a number. Screen Rant noted that the prospects of Depp’s next film, ‘Day Drinker’, will look clearer once ‘Ebenezer’ has played. That film is a Lionsgate project from director Marc Webb, and it marks Depp’s fourth collaboration with Penélope Cruz.

For now, the story is a modest preview night, a divided critical response and a star who needs the public to push back. Dickens gave Scrooge a single night to change, and Depp may need a few good weekends.

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