Quick summary
- Reviews of Ebenezer, Ti West’s horror-tinged take on A Christmas Carol, landed on 12 November 2026 and are sharply divided.
- Johnny Depp stars as Scrooge in what Screen Daily calls his first studio film since 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
- Critics broadly praise the ghosts, the production design and Ian McKellen, but disagree on whether Depp’s broad performance works.
- The film is rated PG-13, runs 1 hour 56 minutes and is dated for release on Friday 13 November in the US, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Johnny Depp has his Christmas comeback, and the critics have not been able to agree on it. The first reviews of Ebenezer, a darker retelling of Charles Dickens‘ 1843 novella directed by Ti West, appeared on 12 November. Depp’s reviews range from “a delight” to “the worst part” of the film.
What the film is
West is best known for the X trilogy of horror films, and Ebenezer leans into the ghost-story roots of the book. The Hollywood Reporter says the film feels like a horror movie for most of its running time, with jump scares and grotesque spirits, though it stays at a PG-13 rating. The screenplay is by Nathaniel Halpern.
The supporting cast is a large part of the pitch. Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley, Rupert Grint is clerk Bob Cratchit, and Andrea Riseborough is the Ghost of Christmas Past. Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley and Tramell Tillman also appear. Vulture puts the budget at a reported $38 million, a step up from West’s earlier A24 work.
Where critics split on Depp
The sharpest disagreement is over the lead. Screen Daily found a cartoonish Scrooge that favoured caricature over character, drawing on the same eccentric toolkit as his Captain Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka. Vulture was blunter, calling Depp the worst part of a film it otherwise found pretty good, and said he seemed to think he was in a family comedy while everyone else played a ghost story.
The Irish Times was unimpressed with his accent, writing that a better film longs to escape him while stopping short of saying he ruins it.
Others were kinder. Deadline called the role a perfect fit and said Depp finds more humanity in Scrooge than earlier versions, which saved it for the ending. The Hollywood Reporter said he gives a performance “no one would call subtle” but that his charisma eventually comes through, and described the final redemption scene as a delight.
The supporting cast gets the warmest notices
Several outlets singled out the ghosts. The Hollywood Reporter describes Riseborough as a wispy spirit made up like a corpse left in the sun, while Tillman’s Ghost of Christmas Present physically decays during his visit. The Irish Times named Riseborough the best thing in the film, with a voice like dry leaves.
McKellen drew praise from nearly every reviewer. Vulture said he alone bridges the gap between Depp’s style and the rest of the film, and Deadline called him an ideal Marley. Screen Daily said Grint and McKellen dig into the story’s humanity but play second fiddle.
The comeback question
Reviewers also treated the film as a test of Depp’s standing. Screen Daily said that, given the personal and legal turmoil he has faced, it is no surprise he is attaching his mainstream comeback to a redemption story, and expects him to draw a crowd regardless. The Hollywood Reporter argued the film fulfils its goal of restoring him to A-list status, while Vulture saw it more as a referendum on whether the industry still cares about the allegations made against him.
For more on how the film is performing, see our reports on the opening weekend forecast and Depp’s return to Hollywood after eight years. Everything we publish on him sits in our Johnny Depp archive, and more film coverage is in Movies.
What happens next
Screen Daily says the film is rolling out globally from 11 November, with Paramount hoping it holds through the holiday season. Its main rival is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which opens on 20 November. Audience response and the first box office figures will show whether the divided reviews matter.
Frequently asked questions
When is Ebenezer released?
The Hollywood Reporter lists a release date of Friday 13 November, and Screen Daily says it begins rolling out globally from 11 November.
Who is in the cast of Ebenezer?
Johnny Depp plays Scrooge, with Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber and Tramell Tillman.
Is Ebenezer suitable for children?
It is rated PG-13 and the Hollywood Reporter calls it possibly the first version of the story not really suited to young children. The Irish Times says it is not for the littlest kids.
