Johnny Depp’s new film Ebenezer is projected to earn more than $20 million during its opening weekend in the United States.
The Paramount Pictures production, a dark adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, is tracking for a debut between $20 million and $23 million, according to Gold Derby. This performance would mark the actor’s first No. 1 box office opening in eight years, following 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Ti West’s #Ebenezer puts a bold spin on Dickens’ classic, delivering a sincere period piece infused with heart and despair. Johnny Depp is magnetic throughout Scrooge’s soft redemption arc leading to a finale that delivers more emotional resonance than its predecessors. Humbug! pic.twitter.com/lErClm8L2T
The film’s release serves as a significant professional milestone for Depp, representing his first major Hollywood feature since he sued his ex-wife, Amber Heard, in 2019 over domestic abuse allegations. While Variety notes the film is positioned as a major comeback vehicle, Business Insider reports that casting the actor was a gamble for the studio.
Early Figures Show a Healthy Start for the Film
Early figures indicate a healthy start for the non-franchise title.
#Ebenezer is a pleasant surprise. Ti West brings a lovely gothic visual style which helps freshen an otherwise standard take. And of course Depp is great, standing with George C. Scott as the best of the modern Scrooges. pic.twitter.com/F3klBLEVwi
The film’s projected weekend totals compare to other recent releases and past performances from the star:
| Release | Opening/Preview Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Ebenezer | $20M–$23M | Projected weekend total |
| Ebenezer | $7.1M | Friday/previews |
| Black Mass (2015) | $22.6M | Actor’s previous opening |
| Public Enemies (2009) | $25.2M | Actor’s previous opening |
| The Grinch (2018) | $2.2M | Animated film preview |
The film is scheduled for a wide release on Friday, November 13, in more than 3,500 North American theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Other films opening this weekend include Bleecker Street’s Victorian Psycho, featuring Maika Monroe, as well as Neon’s Paper Tiger and IFC’s Mouse, which holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
EBENEZER is a revitalized edition of the classic Victorian fable of redemption, centered around a fun, quirky, and energetic Johnny Depp performance. Ti West captures the gothic horror vibes to combine them with some intriguing and haunting visuals and solid supporting cast pic.twitter.com/kf3SsZO1im
Critics Offer Mixed Reactions to Ti West's Direction
Critics have offered mixed reactions to the film’s direction and tone. Director Ti West, known for his work in the horror genre, brings a gothic sensibility to the Dickens classic. NBC 5 Chicago described the film as “one of the most chilling and at times disturbing iterations” of the story.
The film currently holds a 50% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 48 score on Metacritic. Some critics noted the film’s tendency toward camp, with West utilizing jump scares, a cemetery setting outside Scrooge’s window, and a zombie horde of ghouls. Other critiques suggested the film’s interpretations, such as the depiction of child-ghosts as screeching monsters, felt “offensively blunt.”
In contrast, some early reactions were positive. A critic reported to Variety called the film a “wickedly fun holiday treat.”
“Depp is a fiendish delight as Scrooge, delivering a lively performance that thankfully balances the goofy charm and emotional gravitas that has been sorely missed,” said Tom Chatalbash, FilmSpeak’s chief film critic.
Well, color me pleasantly surprised! #Ebenezer is a wickedly fun holiday treat and strong comeback vehicle for its star. Depp is a fiendish delight as Scrooge, delivering a lively performance that thankfully balances the goofy charm and emotional gravitas that has been sorely… pic.twitter.com/PpbdySFMmj
Depp Accepted a Reduced Salary for the Production
The production of Ebenezer was managed on a reported budget of $38 million. Business Insider reported that Depp accepted a reduced salary of roughly $5 million in exchange for a larger share of the proceeds, a significant decrease from the $25 million he previously commanded for 2017’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
The film’s visual design was shaped by production designer Eve Stewart, set decorator Michael Standish, and an art department supervised by Ashley Lamont. The setting depicts a London characterized by the contrast between the abundance of posh manor houses and the poverty of its citizens.
I'm a sucker for A Christmas Carol & #Ebenezer hits all the beats right, but nothing's distinct or unique about this version. Fantastic set design, production & sound sesign, but it's just Depp doing cooky Scrooge, nothing more than his old tricks… Claflin & Grint innocent pic.twitter.com/3dYHypcGed
The ensemble cast features several notable actors in roles central to the Dickens narrative:
- Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley
- Rupert Grint as a character in the film
- Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past
- Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present
- Sam Claflin as Fred
- Daisy Ridley as Clara, Fred’s wife
- Arthur Conti as young Ebenezer
- Ellie Bamber as Belle
- Charlie Murphy, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, and Tramell Tillman are also part of the ensemble.
The film is rated PG-13 for frightening material and has a running time of approximately 1 hour and 56 minutes, according to the Los Angeles Times. The cast also includes Robert Strange as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
EBENEZER is fine I guess. Technically well made and Johnny Depp certainly looks and acts the part but the film commits 2 sins of being forgettable and just boring, especially if you’ve seen a Christmas carol before. Doesn’t do anything new and fails to justify its existence. pic.twitter.com/tyBJnWTJMi
Earlier coverage: Johnny Depp to Star in Paramount Pictures Ebenezer in November
More on Johnny Depp
Utterly superfluous. #Ebenezer https://t.co/K1UgnYQGyg
Please check out my @nbcchicago page for written and video reviews of "Ebenezer," "How to Rob a Bank" and "The Body," plus my podcast conversation with Peter Farrelly of "There's Something About Mary," "Green Book" and "I Play Rocky."https://t.co/REAEu7w7SU
‘EBENEZER’, starring Johnny Depp, is now at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. • One of the lowest rated ‘A Christmas Carol’ film adaptations of all time. pic.twitter.com/KrrAplmQYu
Ebenezer is bad and Johnny Depp is terrible in it. a transparent bid for redemption that becomes just another thing he should feel sorry for. my review: https://t.co/vWYNpWVOTF pic.twitter.com/qU4MOd4Aj2
‘EBENEZER’ is rotten on Rotten Tomatoes. "By the end, the only Christmas miracle one is grateful for is that the whole interminable affair is finally over." (https://t.co/cIm4aotMbR) pic.twitter.com/ipjVGjlJzG