America July 24, 2026 5 mins read

Ebenezer: Johnny Depp Surprises Comic-Con Fans with a Look at ‘A Christmas Carol’ Film

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Street performer in a long blue coat and top hat uses a cane as he steps from a dark doorway, while photographers and onlookers watch.

Ebenezer took center stage at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance in full costume as Ebenezer Scrooge to promote his upcoming holiday film, "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol."

The unexpected reveal delighted thousands of fans attending the annual pop culture convention and marked another milestone in Depp's return to major Hollywood productions.

Paramount is set to release the Ti West-directed adaptation in theaters on Nov. 13, bringing Charles Dickens' timeless Christmas classic to a new generation with an all-star cast led by Depp.

Johnny Depp Transforms into Ebenezer Scrooge

Fans at San Diego Comic-Con were treated to a memorable surprise Thursday when Depp arrived fully transformed into the legendary miser, Ebenezer Scrooge.

The 63-year-old actor looked nearly unrecognizable beneath elaborate prosthetic makeup that included bushy eyebrows, long gray sideburns, patchy facial hair and weathered features. Wearing a tall black top hat, heavy Victorian overcoat and carrying a cane, Depp fully embraced the iconic Charles Dickens character.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a Classic Christmas Character

Promotional images released alongside the appearance showed Depp peering through a frost-covered window and stepping through what appeared to be a snow-covered Victorian doorway, reinforcing the film's classic Christmas atmosphere.

Later, Depp appeared before thousands of fans inside the convention's famous Hall H, carrying a nearly burned-down candlestick while remaining in character as Scrooge.

At the same time, Paramount released the film's first official trailer online, offering audiences an early glimpse of the highly anticipated adaptation.

Cast of "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol"

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ti West, "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" is a new adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved 1843 novella about a bitter, miserly businessman who undergoes a life-changing transformation after being visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.

The new production features an impressive ensemble cast that includes:

Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge
Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past
Ian McKellen
Daisy Ridley
Sam Claflin
Rupert Grint

Earlier this year, Depp was photographed filming scenes in London alongside Riseborough, who appeared dressed in white as the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Those behind-the-scenes images generated significant interest among fans eager to see Depp return to a major studio production.

The film is scheduled for theatrical release on Nov. 13.

Comic-Con Remains the Entertainment Industry's Biggest Fan Event

San Diego Comic-Con International is one of the world's largest conventions celebrating comics, movies, television, gaming, animation and popular culture.

The annual event was held this year at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California, drawing tens of thousands of attendees from around the world.

Studios frequently use Comic-Con to unveil exclusive trailers, debut new footage, introduce casts and generate excitement for upcoming projects.

Hall H, where Depp appeared, is widely regarded as the convention's premier presentation venue, hosting blockbuster announcements from many of Hollywood's biggest studios.

Fans Celebrate Depp's Most Iconic Characters

One of the highlights of Depp's appearance came when he encountered cosplayers dressed as some of the characters that helped define his decades-long career.

Among those greeting him were fans portraying:

Captain Jack Sparrow from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise
Edward Scissorhands from Tim Burton's 1990 fantasy classic
Willy Wonka from 2005's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

The interaction served as a reminder of Depp's long list of memorable performances that have made him one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors.

Throughout his career, Depp has starred in numerous acclaimed films, including "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow," "Finding Neverland," "Donnie Brasco," "Public Enemies," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," and the enormously successful "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, where his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow earned him an Academy Award nomination and worldwide popularity.

With Ebenezer Depp Returns to Mainstream Hollywood

"Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" represents another major step in Depp's return to mainstream filmmaking following his highly publicized legal battles with former wife Amber Heard.

In 2022, Depp prevailed in a widely watched U.S. defamation lawsuit after arguing that a 2018 Washington Post opinion article written by Heard damaged his reputation. A Virginia jury largely found in Depp's favor, while also awarding Heard damages on one of her counterclaims.

The parties later settled the case, with Heard agreeing to pay Depp $1 million, which he said would be donated to charity.

The legal proceedings followed Depp's unsuccessful 2020 libel lawsuit against The Sun newspaper in the United Kingdom over an article describing him as a "wife-beater."

Since the conclusion of those legal disputes, Depp has gradually returned to high-profile acting projects, with "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol" representing one of his biggest studio releases in several years.

A Holiday Classic Gets a New Interpretation

With its gothic visual style, accomplished cast and Depp's dramatic transformation into Ebenezer Scrooge, Paramount's latest adaptation aims to offer audiences a fresh interpretation of one of literature's most enduring Christmas stories.

Whether longtime fans of Dickens' classic or moviegoers eager to see Depp's latest performance, audiences will soon have the opportunity to judge this new take on "A Christmas Carol" when it arrives in theaters on Nov. 13.

Jackie Allen

Jackie is a freelance journalist and technology geek. She worked as a telecom project director for AT&T and BellSouth. Before joining the USA Herald she has written books, articles, blogs and whitepapers. Her clients include Samsung and other technology companies.