LOS ANGELES, October 3 — Paramount Pictures released a second trailer for ‘Ebenezer’ on October 1, 2026, marking Johnny Depp’s first Hollywood studio film appearance in eight years. The film, directed by Ti West, is described as a spooky take on Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ with Depp portraying the grumpy, holiday-hating Ebenezer Scrooge. The logline for the film is ‘The name you know, the story you don’t.’ The trailer highlights darker aspects of the classic tale, depicting Depp’s character being haunted by frightening ghosts and buried alive.
Depp’s last Hollywood studio film was ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ in 2018; he was subsequently dropped from the third installment, ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,’ released in 2022.
His return to studio filmmaking follows a highly publicized 2022 defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, in which a jury awarded Depp $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, while Heard was awarded $2 million in compensatory damages. ‘Ebenezer’ features an ensemble cast including Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman, and Ian McKellen. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on November 13, 2026, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Depp is set to follow ‘Ebenezer’ with ‘Day Drinker,’ a Lionsgate thriller co-starring Madelyn Cline and Penélope Cruz, scheduled for release in March 2027. The second trailer’s release on October 1 generated renewed attention for Depp’s comeback to major studio productions after years of legal battles and public scrutiny.
Industry observers note that his casting in a high-profile holiday-adjacent release positions him for a significant awards-season push, should the film resonate with audiences and critics alike. The involvement of acclaimed genre director Ti West, known for films like ‘Pearl’ and ‘X,’ signals a deliberate tonal shift from Depp’s recent independent work toward broader commercial appeal. The film’s November 13 release date places it in a competitive window alongside other major studio offerings heading into the holiday season.
Paramount’s decision to unveil a second trailer just over a month prior to release suggests confidence in the project’s ability to draw audiences intrigued by both the familiar Dickens framework and its promised darker interpretation. For viewers across Asia and beyond, the trailer offers a first extended look at how a beloved Christmas story is being reimagined through a horror-tinged lens, with Depp’s performance as the central draw.
As the release approaches, attention will turn to audience reception and whether the film can successfully balance its spooky ambitions with the enduring warmth of its source material.
