It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — but this time, darker.
Johnny Depp is officially set to star as Ebenezer Scrooge in “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol”, a gothic reimagining of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic.
The film will be directed by Ti West, best known for his acclaimed horror trilogy X, Pearl, and MaXXXine.
Produced by A24 and Warner Bros., Ebenezer promises to bring a haunting new tone to one of the most beloved holiday tales ever told.
A Darker Christmas Tale
According to Entertainment Weekly, Ti West’s adaptation blends Dickensian London with a gothic horror aesthetic — think Sleepy Hollow meets The Witch.
“This isn’t your grandfather’s Christmas Carol,” West said. “It’s about redemption through fear — about what it takes to change a man who’s already dead inside.”
The director reportedly pitched the film as “a supernatural morality tale told through candlelight and nightmares.”
Johnny Depp’s Return to Gothic Cinema
For Depp, the role of Scrooge marks a return to the kind of dark, eccentric performances that defined his career in films like Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeney Todd.
Sources close to the production describe his version of Scrooge as “a decaying aristocrat haunted by greed and ghosts — equal parts tragic and terrifying.”
“It’s an honor to step into Dickens’ world,” Depp said in a statement. “Scrooge isn’t just a miser — he’s a man haunted by himself.”
The Cast and Crew
Joining Depp is a star-studded ensemble:
- Tilda Swinton as the Ghost of Christmas Past
- Paul Dano as Bob Cratchit
- Florence Pugh as Belle, Scrooge’s lost love
- Cillian Murphy as Jacob Marley
- Ralph Ineson as the Ghost of Christmas Present
Cinematography will be handled by Eli Born, West’s longtime collaborator, while the score comes from Colin Stetson, known for his haunting work on Hereditary.
Critical Response
The film will stay faithful to Dickens’ structure but reimagines the afterlife as a crumbling Victorian underworld filled with flickering gaslight, whispers, and shadowy spirits.
Instead of bright redemption, Ebenezer leans into existential dread — exploring guilt, greed, and spiritual decay.
Early test footage shown at Fantastic Fest 2025 reportedly left audiences stunned by its blend of beauty and horror.
“It feels like Crimson Peak had a baby with A Christmas Carol,” one attendee wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Why It Works
After years of reboots and lighthearted retellings, Ebenezer could redefine what a Christmas movie can be — a haunting meditation on greed and redemption, steeped in atmosphere and emotion.
With A24’s visual signature and West’s storytelling, the film aims to capture both prestige audiences and horror fans.
Release Details
Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol is set for a December 2026 theatrical release, with a festival debut expected at Toronto International Film Festival earlier that year.
The first teaser is expected to drop in spring 2026, and production begins in London this December.
With Ti West behind the camera and Johnny Depp in one of literature’s most iconic roles, Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol could become the definitive gothic Christmas film for a new generation.
A chilling yet heartfelt return to classic storytelling — one ghost at a time.
