The new look at Ti West’s dark Dickens adaptation puts Depp’s troubled Scrooge and Grint’s Bob Cratchit at the center of a very different kind of Christmas story.
August 31, 2026— Christmas is coming.
But if Ti West has anything to say about it, this isn’t going to be the warm, cozy version of A Christmas Carol we’ve seen a hundred times before.
The latest look at ** Ebenezer ** gives audiences another glimpse at Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge and Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, bringing two very different Hollywood careers together for a dark new take on Charles Dickens’ classic.
The film arrives in theaters November 13, 2026, with Paramount Pictures behind the release. West, the filmmaker responsible for X, Pearl and MaXXXine, directs the movie from a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern.
The first trailer already made the tone clear.
This is not simply another adaptation where Scrooge learns to love Christmas after a few friendly ghosts show up.
West is treating Dickens’ story as a ghost story first.
The official synopsis describes the film as a supernatural journey through Scrooge’s past, present and future as he faces the consequences of his life and searches for another chance at redemption.
And Depp appears to be having a lot of fun with it.
Johnny Depp Is Back as a Very Different Kind of Scrooge
Johnny Depp has played plenty of eccentric characters.
- Captain Jack Sparrow.
- Edward Scissorhands.
- Willy Wonka.
- Sweeney Todd.
- The Mad Hatter.
Now he gets one of literature’s most recognizable misers.
The new film isn’t simply presenting Scrooge as the familiar old man who hates Christmas. The story is designed as an origin-style reimagining, asking audiences to see the man before he became the miser everyone knows.
The film’s own tagline says it plainly:
“Before he was Scrooge he was… Ebenezer.”
That gives Depp considerably more room to play with the character.
The trailer presents a Scrooge surrounded by ghosts, memories and increasingly unsettling encounters. The supernatural elements are darker than the traditional family-friendly versions, which isn’t surprising considering West’s filmography.
West built his reputation in horror.
His X trilogy mixed horror with character drama and period filmmaking. Pearl gave Mia Goth a deeply unsettling character study. MaXXXine pushed the story into Hollywood’s darker corners.
Now he’s bringing that eye to Victorian London.
The result looks less like a traditional Christmas movie and more like a period supernatural thriller that happens to be based on Dickens.
It also marks a significant point in Depp’s recent career.
Ebenezer is his first major Hollywood studio role since his highly publicized 2022 defamation trial involving Amber Heard. His more recent work included the French film Jeanne du Barry, which premiered at Cannes in 2023, but Ebenezer represents a much larger return to a major studio production.
The movie isn’t asking audiences to forget Depp’s past career.
It’s simply giving him another character to inhabit.
And Scrooge is a character with plenty of darkness to work with.
Rupert Grint Is Far From Hogwarts as Bob Cratchit
Then there’s Rupert Grint.
For an entire generation, Grint will always be Ron Weasley.
He spent a decade playing Harry Potter’s best friend across all eight movies, beginning with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 2001 and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.
Fifteen years later, Grint is still finding interesting ways to step outside that shadow.
His post-Harry Potter work has included films such as Into the White, CBGB and Moonwalkers, along with television projects including Snatch and M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant. He also recently starred in the psychological horror film Nightborn.
And now he’s Bob Cratchit.
That casting is particularly interesting because Cratchit is one of Dickens’ most recognizable supporting characters.
He works for Scrooge, underpaid, and a family depending on him.
And his relationship with Scrooge becomes central to the emotional transformation at the heart of A Christmas Carol.
Grint’s version appears to be much more than a quick supporting appearance.
The film’s cast and promotional material place him among the principal characters, with Depp’s Scrooge at the center and Ian McKellen playing Jacob Marley.
For fans who grew up watching Grint as Ron, seeing him in Victorian clothing opposite Johnny Depp is going to be one of the movie’s biggest draws.
But Grint has been building this second chapter for years.
He recently announced that he will return to Ron Weasley in the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, beginning February 2, 2027, at New York City’s Lyric Theatre. He’ll play the adult version of Ron in a limited engagement through May 30.
So Grint is entering an unusual period.
He’s returning to the character that made him famous on stage while taking on completely different roles on screen.
Bob Cratchit may be one of the most recognizable characters he’s played outside the Wizarding World.
And this time, there’s a horror director behind the camera.
Ti West Is Turning a Christmas Classic Into a Ghost Story
The director may be the biggest clue to what Ebenezer is trying to accomplish.
Ti West isn’t known for traditional studio holiday movies.
His films have repeatedly played with horror, suspense and period settings. That makes A Christmas Carol an unexpectedly good match for him.
Because Dickens’ original story was already frightening.
Ghosts appear in the night.
A dead business partner returns from beyond the grave.
Scrooge is forced to confront memories he would rather forget.
He sees the consequences of his behavior.
And he is shown a future that terrifies him.
The supernatural has always been built into A Christmas Carol.
West simply appears to be pushing that side of the story much harder.
The trailer features Depp’s Scrooge encountering strange figures and disturbing visions while being forced to confront the life he has created. Ian McKellen’s Marley also appears in a particularly eerie form.
McKellen is joined by a cast that includes Daisy Ridley as Emily Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy and Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
That is a serious cast for a story audiences already know by heart.
The challenge is obvious.
How do you tell A Christmas Carol again without making people feel like they’ve already seen it?
West’s answer seems to be atmosphere.
Make London darker, the ghosts stranger, and Scrooge less familiar.
Give the story enough psychological weight that audiences aren’t simply waiting for the familiar ending.
A Familiar Story With a Completely Different Face
There have been countless versions of A Christmas Carol.
- Animated versions.
- Musicals.
- Television specials.
- Straight dramas.
- Comedy adaptations.
- Bill Murray’s Scrooged.
- The Jim Carrey A Christmas Carol.
Even the Muppets have had their turn.
Now Johnny Depp gets his.
And that casting alone makes Ebenezer worth watching.
Depp has spent much of his career playing characters who live slightly outside normal society. Scrooge fits comfortably into that tradition, even if the character is much less flamboyant than Jack Sparrow or Willy Wonka.
Grint brings a completely different energy.
He has spent years trying to establish himself beyond Ron Weasley, and Bob Cratchit gives him another chance to play a grounded character whose emotional stakes come from family rather than magic or spectacle.
Then there is West.
Put those three pieces together and Ebenezer suddenly feels less like another Christmas remake and more like a strange experiment.
Dickens’ story remains recognizable.
The names are familiar, the ghosts are still coming, But the atmosphere looks very different.
And that’s exactly what makes the November 13 release worth keeping an eye on.
For Grint, it is another step away from the Hogwarts years while an unexpected Broadway return brings Ron back into his life.
For Depp, it is another major screen role after years away from Hollywood’s biggest productions.
For West, it’s a chance to take one of the most famous ghost stories ever written and make it feel unsettling again.
The Christmas season may never look at Scrooge quite the same way.
FAQ
When does Ebenezer come out?
Ebenezer is scheduled to open in theaters on November 13, 2026. Paramount Pictures is distributing the film.
Who plays Scrooge in Ebenezer?
Johnny Depp plays Ebenezer Scrooge. The film presents a darker reimagining and explores Scrooge’s life and history through a supernatural story.
Who does Rupert Grint play in Ebenezer?
Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit, the employee of Scrooge and one of the central characters in Dickens’ original story.
Is Ebenezer based on A Christmas Carol?
Yes. The movie is a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, focusing on Ebenezer Scrooge and his supernatural journey toward redemption.
Who directed Ebenezer?
Ti West directed Ebenezer. He is known for horror films including X, Pearl and MaXXXine.
Is Rupert Grint returning as Ron Weasley?
Yes. Grint is scheduled to reprise Ron Weasley in the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child beginning February 2, 2027. His limited engagement is scheduled to run through May 30, 2027.