Johnny Depp is stepping back into the Hollywood spotlight with his biggest studio role in years — starring in Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale for Paramount Pictures.
Paramount, now led by David Ellison, is finalizing a deal to
produce the film, with X, Pearl, and MaXXXine director Ti
West set to helm the project. The studio is eyeing a November 13, 2026,
theatrical release.
Andrea Riseborough will co-star, with the screenplay written
by Nathaniel Halpern. Former Paramount film chief Emma Watts is producing the
project. The studio describes the movie as “a thrilling ghost story set in
Dickens’ London, following one man’s supernatural journey through his past,
present, and future as he fights for redemption and a second chance.”
Depp will play Ebenezer Scrooge — a fitting role for the
actor, whose own career has mirrored a tale of reckoning and rebirth. Once one
of Hollywood’s most bankable stars with hits like Pirates of the Caribbean,
Alice in Wonderland, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Depp
faced years of industry exile following his highly publicized defamation
lawsuits with ex-wife Amber Heard. The fallout led to his firing from Warner
Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020.
Since then, Depp has focused on independent and
international projects, including the French period drama Jeanne du Barry,
which premiered at Cannes in 2023. When asked about his relationship with
Hollywood at the time, he remarked, “I don’t feel boycotted, because I don’t
think about Hollywood. I don’t feel much further need for Hollywood — I don’t
know about you.”
Earlier this year, Depp wrapped filming Day Drinker,
a Lionsgate thriller expected to release in 2026. The film was introduced to
international buyers at the American Film Market this week.
The Ebenezer package was first floated in Hollywood
last summer, before Skydance officially acquired Paramount. Once the merger was
complete, executives reviewed pending projects — and ultimately decided Depp’s
collaboration with Ti West was too strong to pass up.
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