Johnny Depp Crashes New York as Scrooge, and Nobody Was Safe From His Humbug
Johnny Depp has a long history of showing up in costume to surprise fans, and his latest return to character may be his most gleefully grumpy yet. This week, the actor appeared as Ebenezer Scrooge in New York City, turning a cheerful holiday setting into Dickensian misery. The stunt is part of a promotional push for his new film, ‘Ebenezer‘.
The appearance wasn’t the first time Depp has brought the miser to life in public. In July, he showed up at San Diego Comic-Con in full Scrooge costume, appearing at a Paramount panel and at a pop-up store designed to look like Scrooge’s counting house. He stayed in character the whole time, brushing off fans who shouted holiday greetings.
On Monday night, Nov. 2, Depp turned up at Bryant Park in Manhattan wearing the full costume and makeup. A short clip of the moment shows him in a black top hat and heavy dark cloak, with photographers and onlookers crowding around. The park was already decorated for the holidays, which made the contrast even sharper.
According to reports of the event, Depp’s Scrooge took Christmas cookies and tossed them to the ground, knocked over a decorated Christmas tree and argued with people in the square. He also interrupted a choir mid-carol and crossed paths with a bell-ringing Santa charity worker and a gift-wrapping station. It was a very deliberate act of festive sabotage.
Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance in-character as Ebenezer Scrooge in NYC. https://t.co/DZR6mhIfK6
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 3, 2026
Despite how chaotic it looked, the scene was a carefully staged promotional moment rather than a genuine meltdown. The official account for the film shared videos from the stunt, and Depp stayed in character throughout. For fans of immersive marketing, it was a reminder that few stars commit to a bit quite like this one.
‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’ opens in theaters on Nov. 13 from Paramount Pictures. Directed by Ti West, the filmmaker behind ‘X’, ‘Pearl’ and ‘MaXXXine’, it offers a darker, horror-infused take on Charles Dickens’ classic story. The script is by Nathaniel Halpern, and Emma Watts is producing.
The cast is stacked. Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley, Andrea Riseborough is the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman is the Ghost of Christmas Present and Daisy Ridley is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit, Sam Claflin is Scrooge’s nephew Fred and Arthur Conti plays the younger version of Ebenezer. Filming took place in Dublin and London earlier this year.
The movie also carries real career weight for its lead. It marks Depp’s first major studio lead since 2018’s ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’, ending a stretch in which he mostly appeared in independent and international projects. The 63-year-old actor has treated the role as a major event, and the promotional campaign reflects that.
Depp has talked about wanting to find the human being behind Scrooge’s bitterness rather than playing him as a simple villain. At a screening of the film in New York on Nov. 1, he said that putting on the character’s clothes for the first time gave him a way into the role. Reports from the event say he also pushed for specific physical details, including moles and a longer chin.
He has also said one earlier portrayal inspired him, Alastair Sim’s performance in the 1951 British film ‘Scrooge’. That is a notable choice, since the character has been played by many actors over the years, including Bill Murray in ‘Scrooged’, Michael Caine in ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ and Jim Carrey in 2009’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Depp’s version appears to be aiming for something moodier than most of those.
The film also arrives amid some competition. Director Robert Eggers is developing a separate ‘A Christmas Carol’ adaptation for Warner Bros., with Willem Dafoe set to play Scrooge. Paramount’s project moved ahead first, giving Depp’s version the chance to claim the holiday spot.
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
That makes the buzz around the Bryant Park stunt especially valuable. Viral clips of Scrooge tossing cookies and toppling a tree keep the film in conversation weeks before its release, and they show off Depp’s willingness to lean into the character’s theatrical side. It also plays to the actor’s reputation for transformation, a strength audiences have enjoyed in many of his most famous roles.
The question now is whether the film can match the energy of its marketing. With a darker tone, a strong ensemble and a lead eager to get back into the studio spotlight, ‘Ebenezer’ has plenty to prove when it reaches theaters. For now, the early promotion has accomplished its goal: people are talking about Scrooge again.
