Johnny Depp is heading back to the big screen as Ebenezer Scrooge. His new film, Ebenezer, a dark take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, opens on November 13, 2026, and early projections suggest a modest start rather than a triumphant coronation: a domestic opening weekend of $17 million to $24 million.
That range, reported by SlashFilm on November 4, 2026, citing Box Office Theory, sets up the central question of Depp’s comeback: can a film built on curiosity and Christmas timing turn a quiet opening into a long holiday run? With a reported production budget of around $38 million, it does not need a blockbuster debut. It needs staying power.
What Ebenezer is — and why it looks different
Directed by Ti West, best known for the horror trilogy X, Pearl and MaXXXine, Ebenezer retells Dickens’ story of a miser confronting his past, present and future. Depp plays Scrooge, supported by Ian McKellen, Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Daisy Ridley, Sam Claflin and Tramell Tillman.
The marketing leans into the film’s darker edge. Paramount’s tagline — “The name you know, the story you don’t” — and a trailer pitched closer to horror than to cosy Christmas fare signal that this is not a straightforward family retelling. Horror has been reliable at the box office lately, but a grim tone could also narrow its audience in a season when families choose together.
The projections, explained — and why two ranges exist
Readers following the film’s tracking may have seen two different opening-weekend ranges, and both are worth understanding. Box Office Pro’s long-range forecast, published in October 2026, put Ebenezer at $25 million to $35 million domestically. The newer Box Office Theory projection cited on November 4 is lower, at $17 million to $24 million.
Neither figure is a result. Early tracking moves as trailers land and reviews approach. The honest reading is that forecasters disagree on the size of the opening — but agree on the shape of the test: a mid-range debut that will live or die on word of mouth.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Film | Ebenezer (Paramount) |
| Release date | November 13, 2026 |
| Director | Ti West |
| Star | Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge |
| Reported budget | Around $38 million |
| Latest projected opening | $17–24 million domestic (Box Office Theory, via SlashFilm, Nov 4) |
| Earlier tracking | $25–35 million domestic (Box Office Pro, October 2026) |
| Key competition | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, November 20, 2026 |
The calendar is on its side — until November 20
Ebenezer has one clear advantage: a full week largely to itself before the holiday season’s biggest franchise arrival. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the prequel following a young Haymitch through the 50th Hunger Games, opens on November 20, 2026. That gives Depp’s film seven days to build an audience and, crucially, to earn the kind of audience reaction that keeps a Christmas film playing into December.
Christmas films are rarely decided by opening weekend alone; a well-liked holiday title can play for weeks. A poorly received one can collapse quickly, however famous its star. The first reviews, expected just before release, will therefore matter more than any projection published today.
What it means for Johnny Depp
For Depp, Ebenezer is his first major studio lead in years. He stepped down from the Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020 after losing a UK libel case, and his career was further overshadowed by a highly publicised 2022 courtroom battle with his former wife Amber Heard.
That history is why the film is being watched so closely. Ebenezer is less a test of Dickens than a test of whether audiences still want Depp headlining a studio film. A solid opening plus steady holiday business would answer yes; a soft opening and fast fade would answer otherwise.
What happens next
The next milestones are final tracking updates, the first critical reactions, and then the opening-weekend numbers themselves. If the film opens at the top of its projected range and holds well against Hunger Games competition, talk of it becoming a holiday staple becomes plausible. If it opens low and drops hard, attention will turn to streaming, where curiosity alone may give it a second life.
Either way, November 13 will tell us something no projection can: whether this strange, dark Christmas gamble connects with a real audience.
Frequently asked questions
When is Ebenezer released?
Ebenezer opens in theatres on November 13, 2026, distributed by Paramount.
Who plays Scrooge in Ebenezer?
Johnny Depp plays Ebenezer Scrooge, in a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol directed by Ti West.
What is Ebenezer projected to open to?
The latest projection cited on November 4, 2026, from Box Office Theory, is $17 million to $24 million domestically. Earlier Box Office Pro tracking in October put it at $25 million to $35 million. These are forecasts, not results.
What is Ebenezer’s budget?
The reported production budget is around $38 million, which means the film does not need a huge opening to have a viable theatrical run — but it does need strong word of mouth.
What is Ebenezer’s biggest competition?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which arrives on November 20, 2026, one week after Ebenezer.